BASIC BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Place the butter, shallots or onions in a saucepan, and allow the butter to melt over low heat. Do not sauté the shallots. Combine with the crumbs and other ingredients and toss lightly. Add more melted butter if needed, and taste for seasoning. Stuff the bird lightly just before roasting.
• Herb Variations:
• Instead of tarragon you can use any of the following herbs to taste. (It is better not to mix herbs, except for the addition of parsley, but mix if you must.)
• 1. About 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, soaked in a little white wine for an hour.
• 2. Sage. Use with discretion, or it smothers all other flavors.
• 3. Summer savory. This has a delicious flavor for turkey and is less known than most herbs.
• 4. Basil. The fresh is delicious and superb in the stuffing of a spitted bird. If fresh is not available, use about 2 teaspoons of dried basil, soaked in white wine beforehand.
• Another way to give the flavor of fresh basil to your dressing is by adding pesto , the Italian sauce normally used with pasta. Fortunately, it freezes rather well, so pesto can be made when fresh basil is in the market or in your herb garden and it is possible to have it with your Thanksgiving or Christmas bird. Add about 3 tablespoons of pesto or more to the basic bread stuffing.
• Additives for Basic Bread Stuffing:
• You will have to reduce the amount of crumbs, depending upon the quantity of additive.
• 1. 1 1/2 to 2 cups coarsely broken cooked chestnuts (These may be purchased in tins).
• 2. 1 cup or more toasted salted filberts.
• 3. 1 cup or more toasted unbalanced almonds.
• 4. 1 cup or more salted pecan halves.
• 5. 1 1/2 to 2 cups toasted walnut halves.
• 6. 2 cups finely diced celery. This makes a delicious change in the basic stuffing and is also good in goose.
• 7. 1 1/2 cups of finely diced fennel bulb. Omit any other herb save parsley.
• 8. A head of finely shredded Boston lettuce. Added to the basic stuffing at the last minute, this is surprisingly good. You may find you need additional salt.
• 9. Giblets. Chop the gizzard and heart very fine; reserve the liver. Sauté the gizzard and heart with the onions just enough to color them, then mix with the rest of the ingredients. Use the liver in the sauce later. Sauté it lightly in butter and chop exceedingly fine before adding.