Chopped Chestnuts Bacon and Cranberry Stuffing Balls Recipe

How to make it

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• SOAK TIME ONE HOUR
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• Soak the cranberries in the port for an hour.
• Fry the onion and bacon gently in the butter, until the onion is tender and the bacon is cooked.
• Add the garlic and fry for another minute or so.
• Cool slightly, then mix with all the remaining ingredients, including the cranberries and port, adding enough egg to bind - I find it easiest to use my hands.
• Fry one stuffing ballin a little butter, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
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• This stuffing can be baked in a dish, or rolled into balls that will be crisp on the outside and moist inside.
• To bake,
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• press the stuffing into a greased ovenproof dish in a layer that is around 2" thick. Bake at 350-300 for about 40 minutes, until browned and, in the case of sausagemeat stuffing, cooked right through.
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• However I make them this way:
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• Alternatively, roll into balls that are about 2" in diameter.
• Roast the stuffing balls in hot fat
• (they can be tucked around the turkey or done in a roasting tin of their own) for 30-40 minutes, until crisp and nicely browned on the outside.
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• Choose the best chestnuts
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• The best fresh chestnuts come from Italy, France or Spain. They should be glossy-skinned and plump, and weigh heavy in the hand - a sure sign of a good fat nut lurking inside. On line is a good source, but we have them here in stores around the holiday.
• Roast and peel while still warm.
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• That's it! Enjoy!