Melissa Clark - Food Writer

No More Tears: Traditional Stuffing Is Here

My Mom's Traditional Chestnut Stuffing

Time: 20 to 40 minutes, depending on if you roast your own chestnuts

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, more if needed

1 large onion (about 10 ounces), diced

2 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced

1 teaspoon plus 1 pinch kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon plus 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

10 ounces mushrooms (1 box), sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound chestnuts (see note), roasted, peeled and coarsely chopped

10 ounces bread, preferably stale, cubed (6 to 7 cups)

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups chicken stock, plus more if needed

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat 4 tablespoons of the butter. Cook the onion, celery, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, and nutmeg until the onion is golden and soft, about 10 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large mixing bowl.

2. Add another 2 tablespoons of the butter into the skillet and heat. Cook the mushrooms and garlic with 1/2 teaspoon of salt until the mushrooms are golden brown, 7 to10 minutes. Scrape the mixture into the mixing bowl.

3. Add the chestnuts and bread to the bowl with the vegetables and toss to combine.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the chicken stock, parsley, sage, and remaining pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the chestnut-bread mixture and stir well to combine.

5. Stuff the stuffing into the turkey or place in a 9- by 12- baking pan. Dot the top of the stuffing with more butter if baking in a pan. If using a baking pan, bake at 375 degrees F. until the top is light golden brown and the middle is almost set, 30 to 35 minutes.

Makes 10 cups stuffing, enough to stuff a 12-pound turkey

Note:

You can use a 14-ounce jar of peeled, roasted chestnuts for this, or roast and peel your own chestnuts.

My father uses the microwave. Working with about 5 chestnuts at a time, he slits each chestnut almost all the way around its circumference, leaving the shell connected in one spot (there is a black dot on the chestnut that he uses as the hinge). Then he lays the nuts on a plate and microwaves them in high power for 40 seconds. The shells pop open like clams. He wets his fingers in cold water and pulls off the shells before the chestnuts cool. Repeat until all the chestnuts are peeled. The fresh ones really are better than the jarred, and he says it only takes him 15 minutes to do a pound.

After reading my Times piece on innovative (breadless) stuffing, a friend wrote to remind me of a great Jane Grigson quote about holiday meals: "Clever food is not appreciated; it makes the young ones cry and the old ones nervous." You all asked for it, you got it. Here is my mother's recipe for traditional chestnut stuffing. She says you can use any bread for this (this year she's planning to use up some old bagels in the freezer). But I tested this today using a baguette and it was terrific. But use whatever bread you like. Rye, whole wheat, and even cornbread would all work well, I think. So no more tears! My Mom's Traditional Chestnut Stuffing Time: 20 to 40 minutes, depending on if you roast your own chestnuts 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, more if needed 1 large onion (about 10 ounces), diced 2 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced 1 teaspoon plus 1 pinch kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon plus 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 10 ounces mushrooms (1 box), sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 pound chestnuts (see note), roasted, peeled and coarsely chopped 10 ounces bread, preferably stale, cubed (6 to 7 cups) 4 large eggs 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, plus more if needed 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage 1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat 4 tablespoons of the butter. Cook the onion, celery, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, and nutmeg until the onion is golden and soft, about 10 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large mixing bowl. 2. Add another 2 tablespoons of the butter into the skillet and heat. Cook the mushrooms and garlic with 1/2 teaspoon of salt until the mushrooms are golden brown, 7 to10 minutes. Scrape the mixture into the mixing bowl. 3. Add the chestnuts and bread to the bowl with the vegetables and toss to combine. 4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the chicken stock, parsley, sage, and remaining pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the chestnut-bread mixture and stir well to combine. 5. Stuff the stuffing into the turkey or place in a 9- by 12- baking pan. Dot the top of the stuffing with more butter if baking in a pan. If using a baking pan, bake at 375 degrees F. until the top is light golden brown and the middle is almost set, 30 to 35 minutes. Makes 10 cups stuffing, enough to stuff a 12-pound turkey Note: You can use a 14-ounce jar of peeled, roasted chestnuts for this, or roast and peel your own chestnuts. My father uses the microwave. Working with about 5 chestnuts at a time, he slits each chestnut almost all the way around its circumference, leaving the shell connected in one spot (there is a black dot on the chestnut that he uses as the hinge). Then he lays the nuts on a plate and microwaves them in high power for 40 seconds. The shells pop open like clams. He wets his fingers in cold water and pulls off the shells before the chestnuts cool. Repeat until all the chestnuts are peeled. The fresh ones really are better than the jarred, and he says it only takes him 15 minutes to do a pound.