Fruit and Herb Stuffing (Granny's)

I adore pairing fruit with poultry so it’s no surprise that my version of bread stuffing is packed with apples, cranberries and raisins. Fresh thyme and rosemary work their magic in this dish.

1 large loaf sourdough, cubed (6 cups)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup Thomson raisins
½ cup butter
2 cups onions, finely chopped
1 cup celery with leaves, finely chopped
2 cups apples, red and green, cored and chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
2 tsp. dried summer savoury
2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup apple juice
1 cup chicken stock

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Butter an ovenproof baking or casserole dish.

Place bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 until crisp. Remove from the oven and place in a large bowl. Set aside.

Add the dried fruit to a saucepan. Cover with water and heat until you see steam and little bubbles. Turn off the heat and leave on the burner until the fruit is plump, about 10-15 minutes. Drain with a sieve and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat; add onions and celery. Stirring often, sweat them for about 5 minutes. Add apples and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes more.

Add thyme, rosemary, savoury, poultry seasoning, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the vegetables are tender. About 5 minutes.

Transfer vegetables to the bowl with bread cubes. Add dried fruits to the bowl and mix well.

Pour juice and stock over stuffing and mix well to combine. If there is too much liquid, let sit for a few minutes to let the bread absorb it.

Pour the stuffing into the prepared baking dish. (At this point, you may refrigerate the stuffing, well wrapped, for up to 1 day before proceeding.)

Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve hot.

Makes 6 servings.