Christmas apricot and chestnut stuffing

Ingredients

600ml/1 pint water
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
225g/8oz pre-soaked dried apricots, snipped into small pieces
225g/9oz fresh white breadcrumbs
75g/3oz butter
225g/8oz frozen chestnuts, thawed, roughly chopped
generous bunch fresh parsley, chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Butter a shallow ovenproof dish.
3. Measure the water into a pan; add the onion and apricot bring to the boil.
4. Boil for about five minutes and drain.
5. Put the breadcrumbs into a large bowl.
6. Melt the butter in a pan and pour half of this onto the breadcrumbs.
7. Add the remaining butter to a frying pan and fry the chestnuts over a high heat until lightly browned.
8. Tip into the bowl with the breadcrumbs.
9. Add the apricots, onion and parsley to the bowl.
10. Season with salt and pepper.
11. Turn into a buttered, shallow ovenproof dish and bake in a preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes until crisp and hot right through.
12. To freeze: cool and cover the dish with foil, freeze until Christmas Eve.
13. To thaw: take out the night before using and thaw overnight. Re-crispen in a hot oven (as above) for about 10-15 minutes.