Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 onions, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
5 stalks celery, coarsely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 large bulb fennel, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups), optional
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 pound sweet fennel sausage, removed from casings and cut into 1-inch pieces
6 ounces jarred or vacuum-packed whole peeled chestnuts (about 1 heaping cup)
2 day-old Italian bread loaves (about 8 ounces each), cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
2 to 3 cups Brown Turkey Stock
3/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preparation
In a large saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and fennel; season with salt and pepper. Add rosemary and sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and golden, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook sausage in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Using your fingers, break chestnuts into large pieces. Stir chestnuts and sausage into the vegetables. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add bread cubes; toss well to combine.
Drizzle 2 cups stock over mixture, tossing to moisten evenly. Use additional stock if necessary. (The mixture should feel quite moist when squeezed.) Season with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley.
Place the stuffing in a buttered 2 1/2- to 3-quart shallow baking dish or in an ovenproof gratin dish.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake stuffing until heated through and top is browned and crusty, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve hot.
