Apple Stuffing

Featured in A Friendsgiving Picnic by Melissa Fairchild Clark

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or other high-smoke-point oil)
1 onion, diced
2 cups sliced celery (about a whole head)
2 Fuji apples, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup parsley, roughly chopped
½ loaf whole wheat bread, diced or torn (we used La Farine’s)
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup chicken stock plus ¼ cup reserved turkey drippings

In a sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, celery, garlic, and apples. Sweat the vegetables until the onions start to look translucent, then add the parsley and turn the heat up to medium high, cooking until the vegetables caramelize a bit.

While the vegetables sauté, preheat the oven to 325°.

Slice or tear the bread and place the pieces in a large bowl. Add the sautéed vegetables and apples and toss everything together.

Add the chicken stock, ¼ cup at a time, tossing between additions. Once the stock is absorbed into the bread, dump the mixture onto a 9- x 9-inch sheet tray and bake for 50 minutes, or until the top is slightly toasted and crusty.