Name: Rustic Bread Stuffing with Dates and Almonds
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Ingredients: 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 2 baguettes (10 ounces each), bottom crust and ends trimmed and discarded; 2 cups chicken broth; 3 celery ribs , cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 large onions , cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 1/2 cup chopped dates; 1 garlic clove , minced; 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest; 1/2 teaspoon paprika; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; Pinch cayenne pepper; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Why This Recipe Works

A lighter, more loosely textured stuffing is a welcome addition to the various hefty, moist side dishes that dominate the holiday meal. With this recipe, we steer away from the usual custardy stuffing by eliminating the eggs and cutting back on the broth. We swap the usual cubes of toasted white sandwich bread for torn chunks of baguette, which retain some crispness and chew through cooking. We update the traditional stuffing flavors by stirring in dates, orange zest, and spices.

Before You Begin

Baguettes from the bakery section of the supermarket, which have a slightly soft crust, work well in this recipe. The weight should be listed on the wrapper. To make the stuffing ahead, wrap it with plastic wrap immediately after transferring it to the baking dish, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Add 5 minutes to the baking time.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil and set aside. Tear baguettes into bite-size pieces (you should have about 12 cups) and spread into even layer on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons oil and toss with spatula until oil is well distributed. Toast in oven for 5 minutes. Stir bread, then continue to toast until edges are lightly browned and crisped, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer sheet to wire rack. Drizzle broth over bread and stir to combine.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add celery and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until celery begins to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until vegetables are soft but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add dates, garlic, zest, paprika, cumin, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add vegetable mixture to bread and toss with spatula until well combined. Transfer stuffing mixture to prepared dish and spread into even layer. Bake for 20 minutes. Stir with spatula, turning crisp edges into middle, and spread into even layer. Continue to bake until top is crisp and brown, about 10 minutes longer. Stir in parsley, sprinkle with almonds, and serve.