I also made my killer stuffing. I call it killer because if you ate it every day you would eventually have a heart attack. It has one bottle of Grand Marnier, 1 pound of sweet Italian sausage, and two sticks of butter in it, along with a cup of cut up dried apricots. Best stuffing I've ever tasted. This dish cost over $35 to make, mostly due to the cost of the Grand Marnier.
Silver Palate Grand Marnier Apricot Stuffing
1 cup diced dried apricot
1 1/2 cups Grand Marnier
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups coarsely chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb bulk pork sausage
1 lb herb stuffing mix
1 cup slivered almonds
2 cups rich chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt & freshly ground black pepper Directions:
1 Place the apricots and 1 cup of the Grand Marnier in a small saucepan. Heat to boiling. Remove from heat and set aside. (If you simply must, simmer the giblets in a small saucepan covered with water for 5 minutes. When cool, remove and finely dice, discarding the liquid.).
2 Melt ½ cup of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and saute for 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
3 In the same skillet, cook the sausage, crumbling it with a fork, until it’s no longer pink. Remove from heat and add to the celery & onion mixture.
4 Add the stuffing mix, apricots with the liquid, the almonds (and the optional giblets.) Stir to combine.
5 Heat the remaining 1/2 cup butter and chicken stock just until the butter melts. Pour over the stuffing mixture and add the remaining 1/2 cup of Grand Marnier. Stir well to moisten the stuffing, adding the thyme, salt and pepper to taste.
6 Bake stuffing in a large buttered casserole at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
7 If you insist, you’ll have enough to stuff a 21-24 pound bird with a small extra casserole on the side.
8 Note: I usually make just ½ recipe. The Grand Marnier is expensive. If not in your budget, you might substitute another orange flavored liqueur (even Southern Comfort works.).
