1½teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary(or ½ teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary)
1teaspoon fine sea salt
½teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
½teaspoon nutmeg
½cup(30gms) chopped fresh parsley
¼cupraisins, optional
2½-3cups (600-720ml) chicken or turkey stock (or vegetable stock)
1largeegg
Instructions
Cut the bread into 1-inch (2cm) cubes and dry them out. You can do this by spreading the cubes in a single layer on cookie sheets and leaving them to air dry for 2 days or up to a week before you need them. If you are short on time, spread them in a single layer on cookie sheets and bake them at 350℉ (180℃) for 10-15 minutes, until they are dry and crispy, but not browned.
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Grease a 9x13-inch (22x32cm) baking dish or small roasting pan well with butter.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the diced celery and onions. Cook them for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and translucent and the butter looks clear rather than milky.
Add the sage, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook for 1-2 more minutes
Put the dried bread cubes into a large bowl. Pour the sautéed vegetables over, scraping all the butter out of the pan with a rubber spatula. Add the chopped parsley (and raisins, if using them), and toss to coat everything with the butter mixture.
Whisk the egg with 2 cups (480 ml) of the chicken stock and pour it over the stuffing mixture. Toss gently to moisten everything evenly. If the bread is bone dry or you like a moister stuffing, add some or all of the remaining 1 cup of chicken stock until the stuffing is moistened to your liking. If you are putting your stuffing inside the turkey, you may not need to add any of the remaining stock, as the bird will keep the stuffing moist enough without it.
Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish. Spread it out evenly and cover the dish with aluminum foil or a lid.
Bake for 30 minutes, covered. Then remove the foil or lid and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, uncovered, until the top of the stuffing is lightly browned and crisped to your liking.
Notes
It is important to use dried bread cubes, as they absorb more broth (therefore, more flavour). Let the cubes air dry for several days or dry them in the oven.If you are cooking the stuffing inside the turkey, you will need less liquid, as you won't have evaporation and the bird will release some moisture into the stuffing as well, so you may only need 2 cups of chicken stock.If desired, you can add chopped nuts, crumbled bacon, or other favourite add-ins when you add the raisins (if you are using them).Stuffing freezes well, either fully cooked or uncooked, for up to 3 months. Cover the dish with plastic food wrap, then aluminum foil, and place the whole pan in a plastic bag. To cook it from frozen (if it's uncooked), remove the plastic, replace the foil, and cook as above, adding 10 minutes to the first (uncovered) cook time.To reheat it if it's frozen after being fully cooked, defrost it fully. Then remove the plastic and foil, and drizzle the stuffing with another 3-4 tablespoons of chicken stock or water and bake it for 20-30 minutes at 350℉ (180℃).Leftover stuffing can be frozen in a heavy-duty ziptop bag or freezer-safe container and reheated in the microwave or oven as desired.