Hungarian Parsley Stuffing

Hungarian Parsley Stuffing
For Chicken, Turkey or Veal

All credit for this recipe goes to to June Meyer:

http://homepage.interaccess.com/~june4/parsleystuffing.html

Here's what she had to say about this stuffing:

June wrote: This recipe is generations old. It was the only stuffing we ever used and I think it is the best I have ever tasted. My Heirloom Stuffing is filled with chopped fresh parsley. It is the primary flavor, along with celery, onion, butter. The texture is firm, like a meat loaf and is cut in slices. The women in the family would compete with one another to make the most tasty and best stuffing. This is not for any one who is counting calories. But this stuffing imparts the best flavor to the chicken, turkey or veal. I am sure that once you taste this dressing it will become a favorite of yours also. Regards, June Meyer.

And here's the recipe:

Hungarian Parsley Stuffing 1 large loaf of sliced white bread or 2 small loaves 1 onion 6 ribs of celery along with leaves 2 or 3 bunches or 2 cups or more of FLAT LEAF PARSLEY (Do not substute curley) 1 1/2 sticks of butter 1 cup of water 4 whole raw eggs 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper Cut bread into cubes, put into large mixing bowl.   Finely chop washed parsley and place in bowl with bread cubes.   Dice 1 onion and saute with butter in frying pan till translucent.   Slice or dice ribs of celery and celery leaves and saute along with onions. Add 1 cup of cold water to onion, celery and butter mixture to cool it off.   Add 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp pepper to bowl with bread and parsley.   Add 4 raw eggs to the bowl of bread and parsley, along with the onion and celery mixture and mix well with your hands.   The stuffing should NOT be hot when you stuff the poultry. Really PACK the stuffing well into the bird. Any stuffing that does not fit can be stuffed into the cavity formed by the skin over the breast when it is separated by your hand to form a pocket. Roast your bird as you normaly would. Baste the bird with butter and juices cooking out. When bird is done roasting, you should be able to carve up bird and open the breast area to lift out the loaf of parsley stuffing and slice into portions.   Don't forget to make a wonderful gravy with the juices. It is also good the next day cold from the refrigerator.   Enough for a small turkey or big Chicken.

yep - lots of folks in my family (german) and also my wife's family (slovak) follow the same procedure with "regular" stuffing. i've never really liked those particular parts of the bird, either on their own or in stuffing, so i never use them (we boil them and the cats get them), but quite a few other people love them and i am sure they would be a completely valid and traditional addition to this traditional stuffing.

i would definitely substitute some sort of stock in place of water.