Ingredients
- 9 cups 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces French bread cubes without crust (from about 12 ounces bread)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 4 1/2 cups chopped onions
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 2 1/4 cups dry Sherry
- 1 3/4 cups dried Mission figs (about 91/2 ounces), chopped
- 1 1/4 cups dried tart cherries (about 6 ounces)
- 1 1/4 cups dried apricots (about 6 ounces), chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 1/4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
- 3 large eggs, beaten to blend
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Place bread cubes in very large bowl. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery to skillet; sauté until vegetables are tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Add Sherry, figs, cherries, apricots, sage, thyme and rosemary; cook until fruit is tender and liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 7 minutes. Add to bread cubes; stir to blend. (Stuffing can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Add stock to stuffing; season with salt and pepper. Mix in beaten eggs.
- Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top begins to crisp, about 25 minutes longer.
