Belgian Waffle Stuffing With Duck Confit Recipe
I'm all for making stuffing out of anything but stale little chunks of white bread. Last year we did cornbread. The year before, wild rice. This year, rather than deal with only being able to eat a little stuffing because it's made with brioche (my original plan), I decided to make Belgian waffle stuffing, which you can eat a surprising amount of. Make stuffing waffles the next day with stuffing made out of waffles, right? Mind blown.
Balance the savory flavors with dried apricots and a subtle hit of maple syrup. The added duck fat from the confit fortifies the whole dish with a richness that will make you rethink stuffing made with old dry white bread. Maybe even permanently.
Belgian Waffle Stuffing With Duck Confit Recipe
Prep Time
30
minutes
Cook Time
45
minutes
Servings
4
to 6
Ingredients
- 2 large homemade or store-bought Belgian waffles
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 large clove garlic
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 heaped tablespoon fresh sage leaves
- 4 dried apricots
- 1 leg (6-8 ounces) duck confit
- 2 cups organic chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Salt and pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Cut waffles into cubes and arrange evenly on a baking sheet, then bake for 10 minutes or until just crisp and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When it's hot and foaming, add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery, toss well to coat and sauté for 10-12 minutes until translucent, stirring occasionally.
- Add the sage, apricots, duck confit, a splash of the chicken stock, salt and pepper, toss well to combine, lower the heat slightly and cook for 5 minutes.
- Fold in the waffle cubes, taking care not to break them apart, until completely coated. Add the maple syrup and a cup of chicken stock and stir until completely absorbed. Taste for salt and add more if necessary.
- Transfer stuffing to a large casserole dish, packing down around the corners, drizzle evenly with the rest of the stock (a little extra if you like yours on the mushy side) and bake uncovered at 375F for 20 minutes or until crisp and golden-brown on top.
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