Portuguese Stuffing

By bns0607

Portuguese stuffing is a hearty side dish made with a base of bread stuffing with added ground beef, ground pork and spicy sausage with added sautéed onion and green pepper.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups yellow onions, finely chopped
• 1 cup green bell peppers, finely chopped
• 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper, or to taste
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound chaurice or other spicy sausage, cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2 loaves French bread, torn into 1/2-inch pieces (about 12 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 3 large eggs

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 90mins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a large baking pan with the butter and set aside.

In a large sauté pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, green peppers, and parsley and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the beef, pork, sausage, garlic, red pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook until the meat is browned, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon to break up the lumps, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Place the bread into the bowl and add the meat mixture, mixing well. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Add the stock and mix well. Add the eggs, beaten one at a time, mixing well to combine. (*NOTE: Alternately, use 1 day-old stale bread torn into pieces, as Miss Hilda does when she makes this. Place the bread in a large bowl and cover with water. Let sit until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and squeeze the excess water from the bread with your hands. Return to the bowl and add the remaining ingredients, except the stock.)

Turn into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cooked through and the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.