Country Bread Stuffing With Smoked Ham Goat Cheese And Dried Cherries Food

COUNTRY BREAD STUFFING WITH SMOKED HAM, GOAT CHEESE, AND DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Place cherries in bowl; cover with boiling water. Let stand until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain.
• Cut bottom crust and short ends off bread; discard. Cut remaining bread with crust into 1-inch cubes (10 cups loosely packed). Place in large bowl. Add oil, thyme, and garlic; toss. Spread out on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and slightly crunchy, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Return to same large bowl.
• Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add next 4 ingredients. sauté until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Mix in parsley and cherries. DO AHEAD Bread cubes and vegetable mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately. Store bread at room temperature. Chill vegetables.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Stir vegetables and nuts into bread cubes. Add hot broth, tossing to coat. Mix in cheese. Transfer to dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is brown, about 25 minutes longer, and serve.

GOAT CHEESE FONDUE ON COUNTRY-STYLE BREAD

Steps:

• Using a paring knife, trim away any mold from the goat cheese and coarsely chop. Shred the Gruyere cheese. Place the wine and garlic in a small, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat and allow to reduce by half. Add the goat cheese and let melt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Remove the garlic. Add the Gruyere and butter and stir over low heat until the cheese are melted and well blended. Remove from the heat and stir in the mustard and Marc. Preheat the broiler. A few minutes before serving, place the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast. Remove from the oven and immediately spread each slice with warm fondue. Garnish with a sprig of fresh savory or thyme and top with a grind of fresh pepper.