Chef Michael Romano of Union Square Café – New York, NY
Adapted by StarChefs.com

Yield: 8-10 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup raisins
• 4 1/2 cups apple cider
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 stalks celery, split lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch slices
• 3 Tablespoons pine nuts
• 1/2 pound mortadella, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 cup pitted and coarsely chopped green olives
• 2 apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 6 cups day-old sourdough bread (crusts removed), cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:
To plump the raisins, combine them with the apple cider in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Immediately remove from the heat and set aside.

In a large, non-reactive saucepan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and pine nuts. Cook, stirring occasionally, without coloring, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the mortadella, olives, apples, and sage and cook 5 more minutes.

Strain the raisins, reserving the cider, and add the raisins to the saucepan. Stir in the bread cubes, season with the salt and pepper, and add the reserved cider. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir thoroughly, cover and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes. The stuffing will be very moist. Serve hot. The stuffing can be kept hot and held for up to 1 hour in a bain-marie.