When thoughts turn to stuffing, memories of my paternal grandfather (Dadda) and maternal gran (Sandy Ma) flood my mind.
Both were masters at crafting this dish. My late grandfather created an incredible stuffing, generously filling an entire turkey, while my gran opted for a side dish approach.
Though not the most visually appealing, this dish tops Christmas lunch for me. Honestly, a Christmas lunch without a good old-fashioned stuffing is simply incomplete.
This recipe is a blend of Govender and Naidoo household traditions from my childhood.
INGREDIENTS
⁃ 50g Butter
⁃ 1 Roll, chopped and soaked in a 1/4 cup of milk
⁃ 50g Bread Crumbs
⁃ 1 Onion, Diced
⁃ 3 Chillies, Chopped
⁃ 1 Tablespoon Dried Herbs
⁃ 8 Cloves Diced Garlic
⁃ 2 Teaspoons Fresh Parsley
⁃ 4 Sprigs Thyme
⁃ 2 Sprigs Sage
⁃ 200g Chicken Livers, Finely Chopped
⁃ 4 Chicken Sausages
⁃ 1 Mashed Potato
⁃ Salt & Pepper
METHOD
⁃ In a heated pan, add butter, diced onions, dried herbs, fresh thyme, diced garlic, and chillies. Cook until the onions are translucent.
⁃ Once the onions are translucent, add in the finely chopped chicken liver. Mix it in with the onions and cook until the liver is done.
⁃ Remove the sausage meat from 4 chicken sausages and add it to the liver mixture. Cook on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes.
⁃ Season with sage, fresh parsley, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs. Mix well.
⁃ Add in the soaked bread roll and the mashed potato. Mix everything together.
⁃ Fry the stuffing for 10 – 12 minutes, ensuring the bottom is mixed every few minutes. Some sticking is okay, it adds texture to the dish.
⁃ Once the stuffing is ready, top with fresh parsley, serve, and enjoy.