2 cups butternut squashpeeled, seeded, cut into 1/4" dice
1 teaspoonkosher saltdivided
1largegranny smith applepeeled, seeded, cut into 1/4" dice
½ cupdried cranberries
1teaspoondried sagecrumbled
1 teaspoonfresh rosemarychopped
¾ teaspoonground bay leaves
½teaspoonblack pepperfreshly ground
8cupsday old bakerybread, preferably sourdough or ciabattacrusts removed, cut into 1" dice
1 ½ - 2cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoonsbuttercut into small cubes
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°. Spray a large casserole dish with vegetable spray and set aside.
Slice the leeks in half vertically, then chop them into 1/4" moons. Fill a large bowl with water and add the leeks to the water. Swish the leeks in the water with you hand, dislodging any grit or dirt that may be between the layers. Lift the leeks (do not pour them out) with your hands into a salad spinner. Spin to dry and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with the back of a spoon or fork until crumbled and browned.
Add the onion, celery, leeks, squash and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine, cover with a lid and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
Add apples, cranberries, sage, rosemary, bay leaves and remaining kosher salt and pepper to the vegetables. Stir to combine and cook for 3-5 minutes or until apples are tender and cranberries are softened.
Remove from heat and add bread cubes a handful at a time, tossing to combine after each addition. Add broth 1/4-1/2 cup at a time until the bread is moistened but not falling apart. (I ended up using about 1 3/4 cups of broth for this step.) Taste for seasoning and adjust to your tastes.
Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared casserole dish and dot with butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is crusty and browned.