Bread filling with chestnuts, apples and dried cherries (garnish)

Ingredients:

• 10 tbsp unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 leeks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 2 Gala apples, diced into 1cm cubes.
• 1 can (340g) canned peeled chestnuts, crumbled (about 1.5 cups)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 3 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 16 cups brioche, cut into 1cm cubes (about 700g)
• 1 cup dried cherries

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C and grease a 3-quart baking dish.
2. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt 8 tablespoons (110 grams) of butter over medium-high heat. Add the celery, leeks, apples, chestnuts, thyme, sage, salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, then remove from heat and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and 3 tablespoons of parsley. Add the bread cubes, dried cherries, and vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Transfer the filling to the prepared baking dish. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into cubes and spread over the filling.
5. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until golden brown, another 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley.