Enough For A 20-Pound Turkey

1          Lb. French Brioche, Cut into ½ Cubes
2          Lb. Challah Bread or Pane Di Me, Cut into ½ Cubes
8          Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
½         Cup Finely Chopped Shallots
1          Cup Finely Chopped Onion
1          Cup Dried Cranberries
1          Cup Dried Apricots, Finely Diced
1          Cup Dried Golden and Mission Figs, Finely Diced,
½         Cup Golden Raisins
1          Cup White Wine
2          Cups Water
2          Teaspoons Coarse Sea Salt
1          Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1          Cup Finely Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
2          Cups Roasted Chestnuts, Coarsely Chopped
8          Large Eggs
1          Cup Heavy Cream
1          Cup Homemade Chicken Stock or Canned Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1          Tablespoon Dried Rubbed Sage

Preheat oven to 225°F.

Divide the bread cubes between two rimmed half-sheet pans in 1 layer on each pan. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring the cubes half way through the baking time. Turn oven off and allow bread cubes to dry in oven for at least an hour. Remove from oven and place in a large bowl. At this point you can cover the bread cubes in the bowl with foil. The bread cubes can sit overnight on the counter.

In a medium large saucepan combine the dried fruit with the wine and the water.  Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer.  Turn down the heat to a slow simmer and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool before draining.  Drain the fruit and set aside the liquid.

Melt the butter over medium high heat and in a large heavy skillet, sauté the shallots, onion and celery, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the reconstituted dried fruit and chestnuts and cook, stirring about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Whisk together, eggs, chicken stock, half of the liquid from the dried fruit, cream and sage in a large bowl.  Add the dried fruit mixture and the bread cubes to the bowl and gently fold the mixture until coated with the liquid. If it seems too dry add the rest of the liquid from the dried fruit and/or some chicken stock. Cool completely before stuffing turkey. You can make stuffing a day ahead and refrigerate until ready to stuff the turkey.

OR

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Butter a 9″x13″x2″ ceramic baking dish.

Transfer to a prepared baking dish. Top with butter and bake, covered with foil, for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 30 minutes.