Sourdough stuffing balls

Name: Sourdough stuffing balls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 47 min
Yield: Serves 8-10
Ingredients: 100ml whole milk; 1 slice sourdough bread, ideally stale, crusts removed; 100ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to fry and grease; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed; 100g cooked wild rice; 100g ground almonds; Finely grated zest 1 orange; Finely grated zest 1 lemon; 30g chopped almonds, plus extra to decorate (optional); 70g medjool dates, stoned and chopped, plus extra to decorate (optional); Handful flatleaf parsley, chopped; Handful oregano, chopped; 1 tbsp sherry vinegar

Portion size: Serves 8-10
Hands-on time 20 min, plus chilling. Oven time 25-27 min
Difficulty: easy

Vegetarian

Recipe by: Ben Tish

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This stuffing recipe by Ben Tish makes a vibrant, zingy alternative to the heavy, traditional versions. Great with turkey, chicken or goose or even as a standalone dish accompanied by a salad of winter leaves.

Plan your festive meals with our complete collection of Christmas trimmings, sides and sauces.

After working under Jason Atherton, Ben made his name as a chef and partner in the Salt Yard Group of London restaurants. Ben joined Cubitt House in 2021 to help revitalise their pub menus. He’s written five cookbooks – most recently Sicilia, a recipe travelogue (Bloomsbury Absolute £26).

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Ingredients

100ml whole milk
1 slice sourdough bread, ideally stale, crusts removed
100ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to fry and grease
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed
100g cooked wild rice
100g ground almonds
Finely grated zest 1 orange
Finely grated zest 1 lemon
30g chopped almonds, plus extra to decorate (optional)
70g medjool dates, stoned and chopped, plus extra to decorate (optional)
Handful flatleaf parsley, chopped
Handful oregano, chopped
1 tbsp sherry vinegar

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Method

Pour the milk into a shallow dish. Roughly tear the slice of bread into small chunks and mix them with the milk so they soak it up. Set aside.
Heat a deep medium frying pan over a low heat and add a generous glug of oil. Once hot, add the onion and cook for 6-8 minutes until almost softened but not coloured. Add the coriander seeds, cook for a further minute, then tip in the rice. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, stirring to coat the rice with the oil, then cook for an extra minute or so to lightly toast the rice. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
Squeeze the soaked bread to drain, then add it to the mixture along with the ground almonds. Mix well, adding just a splash of the leftover milk if the mixture appears too dry. Add the orange and lemon zest, chopped almonds, dates, herbs, 100ml oil and vinegar. Season.
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Roll the stuffing into plum-size balls, then decorate each one with extra dates and/or almonds, if you like. Put the balls in a container, cover and chill for at least 2 hours (see Make Ahead).
Heat the oven to 160°C fan/ gas 4. Drizzle a baking tray with olive oil and put the stuffing balls onto it, drizzling the tops with a little extra oil and
sprinkling with salt. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn up the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6 and cook for another 5-7 minutes until golden brown on top.