Pam

Herbed Vegetable Stuffing

To stuff or not to stuff? That’s the question when it comes to turkeys and I am definitely in the not to stuff camp.  Turkeys are big birds and there’s always a concern that the stuffing will not get to a high enough temperature to kill any growing bacteria.  It also increases the cooking time and can lead to drier meat because you have to cook the turkey longer if it’s stuffed.

But just because I prefer not to stuff a turkey does not mean we have to do without.  Baking it in a baking dish eliminates the potential health risk and the risk of overcooking your bird. But, cooking the stuffing outside of the bird doesn’t have quite the same flavour – it’s missing the turkey juices that it absorbs while cooking.  We can achieve a very similar result by using turkey or chicken stock in the recipes.

I like to use farfel for Passover stuffings. If you use farfel and chicken or turkey stock, you can take the stuffing in many directions, adding different vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices.  Replace with vegetable stock for a vegetarian version.

Herbed Vegetable Stuffing

A stuffing perfect for Passover - Farfel studded with vegetable and fresh herbs.


Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 small carrots, peeled and thinly sliced (4 oz.)
  • 1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced (5 oz.)
  • 1 large celery rib, finely chopped (3 oz.)
  • 1 medium leek, cleaned well and thinly sliced
  • 10 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced 1/4″
  • 1 medium bell pepper (red, yellow or orange), cored, seeded and diced small
  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 4 cups farfel
  • 2 cups turhey or chicken stock (or vegetable)
  • 1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives
  • 3 Tbsp. finely chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh oregano
  • 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 large egg

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375ºF / 190°C.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the onions, celery, leek, salt and pepper and cook another 3-4 minutes, until they start to soften. Add the bell pepper and mushrooms and cook another 8-10 minutes, until the mushrooms are just cooked through.
  3. Put the farfel into a large mixing bowl, then pour the vegetables over. Add the chicken stock, herbs and garlic and mix through. Set aside for 5-10 minutes, until the chicken stock has been absorbed. Add the egg and mix through.
  4. Pour the mixture into a baking dish that’s been sprayed or brushed with oil. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the edges have lightly browned.

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