Sausage and Leek Stuffing

Chorizo is a slim Spanish pork sausage flavour-charged with pimento pepper. It's smoky with a little spice buzz. While it's sold in many supermarkets, Italian sausage is also a good stand-in.

1 loaf white bread, sliced into small cubes (675 g)
3 ribs celery
2 onions
1 red bell pepper
2 leeks, optional
2 chorizo or hot Italian sausages
¼ cup butter (50 mL)
1 Tbsp. ground poultry seasoning (15 mL)
1 Tbsp. ground paprika (15 mL)
1 tsp. sea salt (5 mL)
1 Tbsp. orange rind, finely grated (15 mL)

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5).

Slice off bread crusts, if you wish. Cut bread into small cubes. Spread over 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, 12-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, finely chop celery, onions and pepper. Slice off and discard dark green tops of leeks. Cut leeks in half lengthwise. Fan out and rinse under water to remove any grit. Thickly slice.

Squeeze sausage meat from casings into a large frying pan set over medium-high heat. You don't need oil. Using a fork, stir often to keep meat crumbly. Cook until no longer pink, 2-3 minutes. Add butter. When melted, stir in celery, onions, pepper, leeks and seasonings. Stir frequently until onions are soft, 6-8 minutes. Stir in orange peel. In a large bowl, stir with bread cubes. Cool. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Stuff turkey just before roasting.

Makes 12 cups (3 L) for a 12-16 lb (6-8 kg) turkey.