Pork, Apricot and Pistachio Stuffing
A British roast stuffing: pork sausagemeat with dried apricot, pistachios, onion, sage and breadcrumbs.
Overview
This richly flavoured stuffing combines pork sausage meat with sweet dried apricots, crunchy pistachios, and aromatic herbs, with nuggets of pan-fried chorizo tucked into each stuffing ball for a smoky surprise. It is designed to complement roasted game birds such as chicken, poussin, or turkey, providing both a cavity stuffing and individual balls for serving alongside. The combination of textures and sweet-savoury flavours makes it a standout element of a roast dinner.
Ingredients
- 50 grams butter
- 1 onion (large), finely chopped
- small bunch of flat leaf parsley
- small bunch of sage leaves, chopped
- 900 grams pork sausage meat
- 75 grams fresh white bread crumbs
- 1 egg (large)
- 100 grams dried apricots, chopped
- 75 grams shelled pistachios, chopped
- olive oil to drizzle
- 2 chorizo sausages
Method
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a low heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened, but not coloured.
- Season well and remove from the heat, set aside to cool completely.
- Transfer the onion to a large bowl.
- Add the parsley, sage, sausage meat, breadcrumbs, egg, apricots and pistachios.
- Stir to combine.
- Season well.
- Use a quarter of the mix to stuff the bird.
- Cut the chorizo into 1 cm slices and fry for about 2 minutes on each side.
- Roll the remaining stuffing into about 20 walnut sized balls around each slice of chorizo.
Notes
- Allow the softened onion to cool completely before combining with the other ingredients, to prevent the egg from scrambling and the fat from melting prematurely.
- Season the mix at two stages, after combining and again before rolling, as sausage meat and chorizo vary in saltiness.
- Use a quarter of the mixture to stuff the bird's cavity loosely; overfilling can prevent even cooking.
- Fry the chorizo slices before encasing them in the stuffing balls so they release some of their fat and develop colour, adding depth to the finished balls.
Serving
Serve with: roasted chicken, poussin, or turkey; pairs well with gravy, roasted vegetables, and bread sauce Temperature: hot, straight from the oven Amount: 2-3 stuffing balls per person alongside the carved bird
Storage
- Uncooked stuffing mix can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before shaping and cooking.
- Cooked stuffing balls can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheat in an oven at 180°C for 10-12 minutes until piping hot throughout before serving.
This delightful warm stuffing goes particularly well with roasted game such as chicken, poussin or turkey. This recipe includes stuffing for the bird, plus 20 individual stuffing balls.
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