The right stuffing

American Apricot Stuffing
(for turkey and chicken)

150-175g dried apricots, diced
350ml Grand Marnier
turkey liver and heart
225g unsalted butter
200g coarsely chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped
450g pork sausagemeat
450g herb stuffing mix, eg: Paxo
115g slivered almonds
450ml chicken stock
½ tsp dried thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring the apricots to the boil with 225ml of the Grand Marnier and remove from the heat.
2. Simmer the turkey liver and heart in water to cover for 5 minutes, then cool.
3. Melt half the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and fry, stirring for 10 minutes. Put into a large mixing bowl.
4. In the same pan, fry the sausagemeat until opaque. Add to the mixing bowl, along with the stuffing mix, almonds, apricots and their liquid and stir.
5. Heat the remaining butter and the stock in a small pan until the butter melts, then pour over the stuffing mixture with the remaining Grand Marnier. Stir well to incorporate, and season with the thyme, salt and pepper.

Cornbread stuffing (1)
(for turkey and chicken)

175g butter
225g onion, finely chopped
115g green pepper, finely chopped
150g heart of celery, finely chopped
200g corn bread, finely crumbled
350g crumbled toast
2 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
110ml chicken stock
3 eggs
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Melt 60g butter in a pan and fry the onion, pepper and celery, stirring, until they are just turning tender. Set aside.
2. Put the crumbled corn bread and toast in a mixing bowl. Add the hard-boiled eggs, celery mixture and all the remaining ingredients. Stir well to blend.

Cornbread stuffing with apples
(for turkey and chicken)

175g butter
300g onions, finely chopped
2 Bramley apples, cored and cut into chunks, but not peeled
450g sausagemeat
350g cornbread, coarsely crumbled
350g wholewheat bread, coarsely crumbled
350g white bread, coarsely crumbled
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried sage
20g chopped flat-leaf parsley
175g pecan halves
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Melt half the butter in a pan. Add the onions and cook over a low heat until tender and turning gold – about 25 minutes. Pour into a large mixing bowl.
2. Melt the remaining butter in the same pan. Add the apple and cook until lightly gold but not mushy. Scrape into the mixing bowl.
3. Crumble the sausagemeat into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until lightly browned. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the mixing bowl, reserving the fat for basting the bird later.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the ingredients in the mixing bowl and combine gently. Cool completely before stuffing the bird.