Bread stuffing with bacon, prunes and chestnuts (side dish)

Ingredients:

• 110g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
• 6 slices bacon, cut into pieces
• 5 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cups pitted prune halves
• 1 cup roasted peeled chestnuts, chopped
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 4 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 16 cups stale sourdough bread, cut into 2.5cm cubes (about 900g)
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C.
2. In a large, deep skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until browned, 10-12 minutes. Add the celery, onion, prunes, chestnuts, rosemary, salt, and a little freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture softens and begins to brown, 6-8 minutes.
3. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
4. Combine the bread and vegetable mixture in a large bowl. Gently toss to coat all the bread. Add the beaten eggs.
5. Grease a 3-quart baking dish with butter. Add the bread filling and arrange the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in chunks on top. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Then remove the foil and continue baking until golden brown, another 20 minutes.