Revisiting family recipes is a delightful way to memorialize traditions, recall shared moments with loved ones, and discover how our ancestors lived. My sister, Susan, found this recipe that our beloved Aunt Marion shared with her many years ago, and it has elicited conversation and curiosity. How did our father and his siblings live, and what did they eat? Italian immigrants, living in an Italian neighborhood in New York City, longing to be more American in the early 1900’s. How did that influence their cooking?
My father often reminisced about the delicious baked cod his mother would make him, and how he looked forward to her eggplant dish. Sardines were another favorite throughout his life, and he talked about having them with grated onion as a child. There was a set night for each dish—cod, eggplant, pasta—and when your favorites were being served, you got home early.
Most of my father’s early childhood meals, surprisingly, were wheatless and meatless. Friday was always fish, and Sunday was pasta day, served with meat. On just one other night of the week, the family enjoyed a meat dish—lamb chops—my father’s absolute favorite. On most evenings, they shared meals of seasonal, garden fresh vegetables, oftentimes served with whole grains and lots of salads. It was an incredibly healthful way of eating, especially by today’s standards, and after doing a little research, I found that their choices were encouraged by the Food Administrator in 1918, and considered the American thing to do.
My father’s sister, Marion, always made two recipes for Thanksgiving that we erroneously called stuffing. According to my Southern friends, a dish is properly called a dressing when you cook it outside the bird. Marion’s delicious Apple Dressing, which I previously shared, is just too good to go inside a bird—a beautiful, aromatic side dish topped with melted cheese.
This recipe is rightfully called stuffing—it is perfect for filling a holiday bird and works equally as well outside the bird—either way it is a wonderful gluten-free (wheatless) side-dish. When made with vegetable stock, outside the bird, it will satiate the vegetarians in the family, too. This dish is filled with the flavors my father loved, including parsley, onions, apples, and walnuts. It is easy to see how my Grandmother’s cooking influenced this dish.
The original recipe included an option to add sausage, and 1 pound of stuffing mix. The take away—you can add sausage and bread cubes if you like. I usually make this recipe with vegetable broth, no sausage and no bread so it can be offered as a gluten-free stuffing; and I reserve some, outside the bird, to offer as a vegetarian, gluten-free dressing or side dish. When I am stuffing a large bird, I simply double this recipe, so I have enough to satisfy all guests’ dietary preferences and have lots of leftovers!
Yield: Serves 10
