MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

      Title: Challah, Sausage & Dried Cherry Stuffing
 Categories: Breads, Fruits, Nuts, Herbs, Stuffing
      Yield: 8 Servings
 
      4 oz Pecans
      1 lb Challah loaf; cubed 1"
      1 tb Olive oil
      1 lb Bulk sausage meat
    1/2 c  Unsalted butter;
           - in 1 tb pieces
      3 md Onions; chopped
      4 lg Celery ribs; chopped
      3 cl Garlic; minced
    1/2 ts Allspice
           Salt & fresh ground pepper
    3/4 c  Dried tart (Morello)
           - cherries *
      4 lg Eggs
  1 1/2 c  Turkey stock or
           - chicken broth
      1 c  Heavy cream
    3/4 c  Flat-leaf parsley;
           - coarse chopped
 
  Roast pecans in a pie or cake pan until fragrant and insides are
  pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
  
  Divide bread between 2 large baking sheets and bake, switching
  position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, 15 to
  25 minutes.

  Meanwhile, heat oil in a 12" heavy skillet over medium-high heat
  until it shimmers, then cook sausage, stirring and breaking up
  lumps, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer sausage to a very
  large bowl.
  
  Add butter to skillet and heat over medium heat until foam
  subsides. Add onions, celery, garlic, allspice, and 1/2 ts each of
  salt & pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to
  brown lightly, 12 to 15 minutes. Add vegetables to sausage with
  bread, cherries, and pecans, and toss to mix well.
  
  In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, then whisk in stock, cream, and
  parsley, and pour over stuffing. Stir stuffing well, then spread it
  out in baking dish. Chill if turkey is more than 1 hour from being
  done.
  
  When turkey is done, increase oven temperature to 425°F. Cover
  stuffing tightly with foil and bake until hot throughout, 20 to
  25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top is golden brown and
  crisp, about 10 minutes more.
  
  Notes:

  Bread can be toasted 3 days ahead and kept (once cool) in a sealed
  bag at room temperature.
  
  * Sunsweet now sells 5 oz packages of dried tart cherries, labeled
    as sweet and tart Morello cherries, that are moist and retain a
    good, dark-red color.
  
  Stuffing can be prepared (but not baked) 4 hours before roasting
  turkey. Chill, covered.
  
  Stuffing recipe can be halved and baked in a 2 qt glass or ceramic
  baking dish.

  * Note:

  The Spanish company Mitica makes a fig jam that is sweetened only
  with lemon blossom honey, which gives it a pure flavor. Prairie
  Breeze Cheddar is a sweet and tangy cheese from Iowa, made by
  Milton Creamery with the high-quality milk of neighboring Amish
  farms. Any farmstead, artisan Cheddar would be a good substitute.
  
  Recipe by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez
  
  Formatted by: Dave Drum, Nov 21, 2013
  
  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives
 
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