Stuffing Balls & Cheat's Gravy Dip

If there's one constantly unappreciated part of Christmas, it's stuffing.

Done in 1 hour

Serves 10

Dish by Hugh Woodward

Ingredients

2 tbspunsalted butter

2medium brown onions, very finely diced

2cloves garlic, crushed

2granny smith apples, peeled and diced

20fresh sage leaves, finely sliced

600gsausage meat

120gfresh bread crumbs

100gcooked chestnuts

1orange, zest only

1 tbspsea salt

200g flour

4eggs, beaten smooth

200gpanko breadcrumbs

2 tbspbutter

2 tbspplain flour

100mlwhite wine

500mlreduced stock (approx 1 litre stock to start)

This recipe rectifies this egregious error and brings them centre stage. Sausage meat, roasted chestnuts, orange zest - the gang are back together!

Method

Take a frying pan and heat the butter until sizzling. Gently fry the onions until soft. Add the garlic and fry for a further 30 seconds, then add the chopped apple and a splash of water and cook for a further 15 minutes until the apple pieces have softened and the water has evaporated. Add sage leaves then remove the mixture to a bowl and leave to cool.

When cold enough to handle mix together with the sausage meat, chestnuts, zest, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Place the flour, beaten eggs and panko in separate bowls.

Mould the stuffing mix into walnut sized balls weighing around 35g. Dip them one at a time into the flour, shaking off any excess, then the egg mix, allowing extra to drip back into the bowl, and then the panko, rolling it around to give a thorough coating. In a large sturdy saucepan eat the oil to 170°C.

While the oil heats up, make the gravy: heat the butter until foaming and whisk in the flour. Gradually pour in the white wine, to make a smooth paste, then do the same with the stock. Strain through a sieve to remove any lumps and gently simmer to reduce to your desired consistency. Season to taste.

Fry the stuffing balls in batches of 6 or so, removing to a tray lined with paper towels then a wire cooling rack to stop them going soggy. Serve in a basket with the gravy on the side.

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Hugh Woodward

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Hugh's culinary life began aged 14 when he cooked spaghetti hoop burritos to impress girls. Since then his colourful career has taken him to performing in Skegness, making cheese in Peckham, running a wine bar on Columbia Road and reluctantly working in a (briefly) Michelin Starred restaurant. He likes fish, things cooked on charcoal, cheap dinners and London's rich cultural tapestry of food shops. When he's not cooking or eating he can be found mudlarking by the river Thames, buying bits in flea markets and hanging out with his cat Keith.