Fig-and-walnut stuffing

Serves 6-8

This is almost like a savoury bread- and-butter pudding – it's all lovely and soft on the bottom and crispy and crunchy on the top.

1 tbsp olive oil
25g/1oz butter
2 onions, chopped
200g/7oz pancetta, diced
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves chopped
4 sprigs thyme, leaves chopped
6 ready-to-eat dried figs, roughly chopped
Handful golden sultanas, roughly chopped
70g/3oz roasted walnuts, roughly chopped
100g/3½oz sourdough bread, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 egg
300ml/½ pint good-quality chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4.

Heat the oil and butter in a large, high-sided frying pan. Fry the onions and pancetta until the onion is soft and the pancetta crisp. Tip in the rosemary, thyme, figs and sultanas, and fry for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Stir the walnuts and bread into the onion mix, break in the egg and stir well. Pour in the stock, mix again, then transfer to a baking dish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top of the stuffing is golden and slightly puffy.