Recipe: Chestnut Stuffing

CHESTNUT-CELERY STUFFING ~ Makes 3 cups, or enough to stuff the NECK cavity
of a 12 pound turkey.

3/4 pound fresh chestnuts
1 cup cubed white bread (2 slices)
1/2 cup diced celery
1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 can (3 or 4 ounces) chopped mushrooms (optional)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1. Wash chestnuts; cut slits in each shell; place in a shallow baking pan. Bake in very hot oven (475 degrees) 15 minutes. Remove chestnuts; lower oven temperature to very slow (250 degrees). When cool enough to handle, shell and skin nuts.

2. Cook, covered, in boiling salted water to cover, in a medium-size saucepan, about 15 minutes, or until tender; drain; chop fine. (you should have about 1 and 1/2 cups).

3. While chestnuts are cooking, spread bread cubes on a large cookie sheet; place in a very slow (250 degrees) oven 10 minutes; remove from oven; reserve.

4. Saute celery and onion in butter or margarine just until soft in a medium-size skillet. Combine with chestnuts in a medium-size bowl.

5. Add mushrooms (optional) and their liquid, salt, pepper, bread cubes, and poultry seasoning; toss lightly until evenly moist.

6. Stuff neck cavity of turkey. If baking stuffing separately, spoon into a buttered 4-cup (1 quart) baking dish; cover with foil. Bake in a slow oven (325 degrees) during the last hour the turkey roasts.