Apricot Bread Stuffing for Roast Pork
This stuffing is full of apricots, figs, and cranberries all tossed with sourdough bread cubes and flavored with pancetta and rosemary. A great accompaniment to roast pork!
Servings 8 servings
Calories 400kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb sourdough bread crusts removed and cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 bottle white wine
- 1 1/2 cups chopped dried apricots
- 1 cup chopped dried figs
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 5 oz diced pancetta
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter divided, cut into pats
- 1 1/2 cups diced shallots
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup brandy
- 1 - 1 1/2 cups chicken stock low sodium or no sodium
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Adjust the oven racks to the upper middle and lower middle positions. Preheat the oven to 200F. Spread out the cubed sourdough bread on two baking sheets. Dry the bread cubes in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Transfer the bread to a large bowl.
- Increase the oven temperature to 375F. Grease a large casserole dish.
- In a large saucepan, bring the white wine to a boil. Add the dried apricots, figs, and cranberries to the wine. Keep the wine at a boil until the wine is reduced to around 1 cup, about 15 minutes.
- While the wine is reducing, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the pancetta. Saute the pancetta for 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once it is melted, add the shallots and salt. Saute for 5 minutes, or until the shallots are soft and translucent. Add the herbs and cook for 1 minute. Add the brandy and bring to a simmer.
- Take the wine mixture and the pancetta mixture and pour them both into the bowl with the bread cubes. Mix well. Add 1 cup of chicken stock. Check to see if the bread is sufficiently moistened. If not add a bit more chicken stock until the bread is no longer dry but not soggy. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared casserole dish and top with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter.
- Cover the casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes. Then uncover the dish and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the stuffing from the oven and let it sit for about 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
The nutritional information is an estimate and is included for informational purposes only. Please make your own calculations using your specific ingredients if you need an accurate calorie count.
You can dry the bread a day or two ahead. Let the bread cool and keep it in a sealed container until you are ready to use it.
Fresh sage is very important to the flavor. If all you have is dried, use it, but fresh sage is worth seeking out.
I used an inexpensive bottle of Sauvignon Blanc for the wine. I wanted a light, crisp white which would cook down without getting too intense.
Nutrition
Calories: 400kcal