Name: Bread Stuffing with Figs and Hazelnuts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 medium onion (chopped); 2 stalks celery (chopped); 1 large (tart apple, peeled, cored and chopped); 1 cup cut up dried figs; 1/2 cup raisins; 1 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts; 8 cups 1/2-inch diced bread cubes; 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary; 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves; 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock*; Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bread Stuffing with Figs and Hazelnuts

Every Thanksgiving I make two stuffings, one tried-and-true, plus another new one. A couple of years ago I bought some fabulous hazelnuts and decided to add them to my basic bread stuffing. But then I figured I should also include dried fruit, which give a lovely, sweet balance to the woodsy-flavored nuts. And this Bread Stuffing with Figs and Hazelnuts was the result – everyone declared it a winner. So now it is one of the tried-and-trues.

Bread Stuffing with Figs and Hazelnuts

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 5

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Servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1 large tart apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 cup cut up dried figs
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts
8 cups 1/2-inch diced bread cubes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock*
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat the vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Add the apple, figs and raisins and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Spoon the mixture into a large bowl. Add the nuts, bread cubes, parsley, rosemary and thyme and toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Pour in the stock (*1 cup if you cook the stuffing inside the bird; 2 cups if you bake the stuffing separately or prefer a moister stuffing). Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Stuff the bird OR place the ingredients in a casserole. To cook outside of the bird: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cover the casserole. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for another 15 minutes or until the top is browned and crispy.