Panettone Holiday Dressing

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 (2 1/4 lb) panettone
• 1/2 cup sweet butter
• 2 bunches fresh sage, leaves minced
• 1/2 cup dried apricot, julienned
• 1/2 cup dried sour cherries
• 1/2 cup golden raisin
• 1 1/2 cups minced yellow onions
• 1 cup minced celery or 1 cup fennel
• 1 cup minced carrot
• up to 2 cups chicken stock (or turkey if you have it)
• 2 eggs
• salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe

• 1 cut the panettone into 3/4-inch squares and place in large bowl.
• 2 melt half of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and continue to cook until light brown, about 5 minutes.
• 3 take off the heat and add half the sage; season with salt and pepper.
• 4 pour the sage butter over the bread and toss gently but swiftly.
• 5 spread out on 2 cookie sheets and place in a 350°f oven until light brown, about 15 minutes.
• 6 remove from the oven and place back into the bowl.
• 7 meanwhile, place the dried fruit in a large bowl; add boiling water to cover and then set aside for at least 10 minutes; this will plump and soften the fruit for cooking. drain fruit once plumped.
• 8 raise the oven temperature to 375°f.
• 9 melt the remaining butter and add onion, celery, and carrot.
• 10 saute on medium-low heat until soft.
• 11 add dried fruit and remaining sage; toss into cooled croutons.
• 12 gently toss and add chicken broth to moisten; add more broth if you like a softer stuffing.
• 13 stir in beaten eggs; adjust salt and pepper.
• 14 turn out into an oven-proof casserole and bake uncovered until golden brown on top, about 40 minutes.