Rice And Sausage Stuffing

• Servings: 6 to 8.

Whether it's for Thanksgiving dinner, another holiday, or for serving with turkey or chicken throughout the year, stuffing is a highly personal choice.  Some might not be able to imagine one made without bread, but for others, whether for reasons of flavor, or to respond to a gluten problem, bread isn't an option.

In this recipe, which I grew up eating at every Thanksgiving, white long grained rice and wild rice -- which isn't really rice at all but rather a member of the grass family -- takes the place of bread and is combined with savory sausage, sage and pine nuts.  

Remember that stuffing can be cooked without a turkey, either stuffed in a large capon or else just baked in the oven, which is when we change its name from stuffing to dressing.

If you prefer a non-pork sausage, you can easily substitute one made with chicken or turkey.  These tend to have less fat so you may need to add a little extra virgin olive oil to the mixture.

Ingredients

• 2 cups long grain white rice (Uncle Ben's or Lundberg Farms organic rice are both good choices)
• 1/2 cup wild rice
• 1 pound pork sausage, bought in bulk or removed from its casings
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• 4 to 6 fresh sage leaves, chopped into fine pieces or cut chiffonade
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions

1. Cook 2 cups of long grain white rice according to the instructions on the packaging. Cook until tender.
2. Cook 1/2 cup wild rice according to the instructions on its packaging. This can take about 45 minutes to cook so plan accordingly.
3. While the rices cooks, sauté the sausage, breaking it into small, one-inch or so pieces as it cooks. Drain and discard any rendered fat.
4. In a dry skillet, toast the pine nuts. Watch them carefully as they toast as pine nuts can easily burn.
5. In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked rice and wild rice, the drained sausage, toasted pine nuts, and about 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh sage that's been cut into small pieces, plus salt and pepper to taste. Remember that the sausage is probably highly seasoned so taste before adding any seasonings.
6. If you like something sweet in your stuffing you can also add dried cranberries.
7. Mix gently to combine. Use the mixture at this point to stuff your turkey. If you prefer to bake it as a dressing, transfer the mixture to an ovenproof baking dish and bake at 350° F until warmed through and the top begins to get crusty.