Miss Hilda's Portuguese Stuffing
Emeril's Thanksgiving Stuffing Showdown
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and while those turkeys are ducking for cover, there's a kinder, gentler job to be done, and Chef Emeril Lagasse's the man to do it: His annual shootout over the kind of stuffing to make for that little gobbler.
Emeril prepared his mom's recipe, Miss Hilda's Portuguese Stuffing, the meaty, garlicky recipe that he grew up with.
Ingredients
Cooking Directions
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a large baking pan with the butter and set aside.
In a large sauté pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, green peppers, and parsley and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the beef, pork, sausage, garlic, red pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook until the meat is browned, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon to break up the lumps, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Place the bread into the bowl and add the meat mixture, mixing well. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Add the stock and mix well. Add the eggs, beaten one at a time, mixing well to combine. (*NOTE: Alternately, use 1 day-old stale bread torn into pieces, as Miss Hilda does when she makes this. Place the bread in a large bowl and cover with water. Let sit until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and squeeze the excess water from the bread with your hands. Return to the bowl and add the remaining ingredients, except the stock.)
Turn into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cooked through and the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Chef Emeril Lagasse, Copyright, 2002
