Sausage, Date, and Fennel Stuffing

A North African version of stuffing. Modified from Cookthink.com. Can't find preserved lemons at your local store? Make your own: Simple Preserved Lemons. Use merquez sausage if you can find it, but other sausage will do.

• Ready In: 1 hr 33 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1  cup dates, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup white wine
• 2  cups  bread, cubed
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 lb sausage, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1  medium carrot, diced
• 2  celery ribs, diced
• 1⁄2 yellow onion, diced
• 1  fennel bulb, sliced
• 1  small preserved lemon, diced
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fennel leaves
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped parsley
• 2  eggs
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 -1 1⁄2 cup water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F Combine the chopped dates and the wine; leave to soak while everything else is prepared. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast for 5-8 minutes to dry them out.
2. In the skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering; cook the sausage for 5 minutes.
3. Add the diced carrot, celery, onion and sliced fennel to the sausage and sauté until softened, 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool before adding the rest of the ingredients, 10 minutes.
4. Stir the diced preserved lemon, fennel fronds, parsley and soaked chopped dates into the sausage and vegetable mixture. Make sure to add any liquid left in with the chopped dates.
5. In a large bowl, combine the sausage mixture with the toasted bread cubes and toss well to coat.
6. Lightly beat the eggs with the salt and the water before adding to the bread cubes and sausage mixture. If the bread and sausage mixture appears too dry, add a bit more water, up to 1/2 cup.
7. Lightly oil a casserole dish and spoon in the bread cube and sausage mixture. Mound it firmly in the dish and drizzle with olive oil, bake for 30-40 minutes until the crust is light brown and crispy.