1loaf (2 pounds) day-old sourdough bread, bread torn or cut into 1-inch cubes
4cups homemade turkey stock or store-bought low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
12ounces prunes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
2bunches hearty leafy greens, such as kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)
2pounds sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, crumbled (to make this a vegetarian side dish, you may add vegetarian protein like seitan here as a substitute instead, or if you don’t want pork sausage, use turkey or chicken sausage.)
5stalks celery, chopped
4-- carrots, chopped
2-- onions, chopped
-- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Instructions
Preheat oven to 250F. Bake bread on a baking sheet in a single layer until dried but not browned, about 15 minutes. Remove bread, and let cool. Raise oven temperature to 350F.
Bring stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add prunes, and let soak for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook greens until tender, about 10 minutes, and transfer to a plate. Let cool. Wipe out skillet.
Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet over medium heat. Brown sausage, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through and no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Add more oil to skillet if needed, and cook celery, carrots, and onions until tender, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Drain prunes, reserving poaching liquid. Add prunes, bread, greens, and vegetable mixture to bowl with sausage. Gradually add reserved poaching liquid (about 2 1/2 cups), stirring to combine. Stir in parsley and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide stuffing between two 13 x 9-inch baking dishes. Dot tops with butter. Bake until browned, about 45 minutes. Storage: Stuffing can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat, covered, in a low-temperature oven.
Adapted by Rachel Willen, FoodFixMe.com, from Martha Stewart Living.