Dried Fruit Stuffing

    9 cups 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces French bread cubes without crust
     (from about 12 ounces bread)
    1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
    4 1/2 cups chopped onions
    2 cups chopped celery
    2 1/4 cups dry Sherry
    1 3/4 cups dried Mission figs (about 91/2 ounces), chopped
    1 1/4 cups dried tart cherries (about 6 ounces)
    1 1/4 cups dried apricots (about 6 ounces), chopped
    1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
    1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
    1 1/4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
    3 large eggs, beaten to blend

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Place
bread cubes in very large bowl. Melt butter in heavy large skillet
over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery to skillet; saute
until vegetables are tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Add
Sherry, figs, cherries, apricots, sage, thyme and rosemary; cook
until fruit is tender and liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 7
minutes. Add to bread cubes; stir to blend. (Stuffing can be
prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Add stock to
stuffing; season with salt and pepper. Mix in beaten eggs.

Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Cover and bake 30
minutes. Uncover and bake until top begins to crisp, about 25
minutes longer.