- 1 loaf whole-wheat or country-style bread, crust discarded and bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 pound shallots, chopped
- 2 pounds tart apples such as McIntosh, Gala, or Cortland
- 1 cup dried currants
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 1/4 teaspoons dried marjoram, crumbled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 pinch ground allspice
- 1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Spread bread cubes in 2 shallow baking pans and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden, 20 to 25 minutes total. Cool bread in pans on racks, then transfer to a large bowl.
- Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are well browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
- While shallots are cooking, peel, core, and coarsely chop apples. Boil currants and cider in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally, until cider is absorbed, 6 to 8 minutes. Add apples to browned shallots along with marjoram, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and allspice and cook, stirring occasionally, until apples begin to soften, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer currants and apple mixture to bowl with bread cubes, then add walnuts, zest, and stock and toss well.
- Transfer stuffing to a buttered 3- to 3 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Bake, covered, in middle of oven 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until browned, about 30 minutes more.