If your family is like my family, you get into holiday ruts. This can often be a great thing, because if you're cooking something year after year after year, and everyone eats it, then it must be right. But sometimes it's good to experiment, maybe make another version of a dish, so we can have a choice and try something new.
That's very true of stuffing. A lot of families stick with one kind (bread stuffing, oatmeal, cornbread, etc) and stick with that, but this year I'm going to bring something new to my sister's house, and I'm thinking about this dish. It's Rice and Nut Stuffing. What intrigues me about it is the use of pistachios and raisins.
Rice and Nut Stuffing1/2 cup EVOO (as Rachael would say)
salt
2 cups long-grain brown rice
3/4 cup pine nuts or pistachios
1/2 cup raisins or currants
ground pepper
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh marjoram or oregano leaves
Make outside of turkey*. Grease 9 x 13 baking dish with olive oil. Boil large pot of water. Add salt. Add rice and simmer, stirring, 15-20 minutes. Drain, rinse, drain again. Heat 1/4 cup of oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat for two minutes. Add nuts and raisins and stir for 2 minutes. Add rice, salt, and pepper, and stir for one minute. Add lemon juice and half of the herbs. Put stuffing in pan, cover with foil, and cook for 25-30 minutes in preheated 400 degree oven. Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes.
* Of course, you can also make this inside the bird, and the recipe tells you how.
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