Stuffing recipes haven't changed much in more than three centuries, but our taste for whole-grain breads brings a whole new heartiness to the classic dish, speckled with Oregon's own hazelnuts and plumped dried cranberries. Use a whole-wheat country bread, such as pain de campagne, for this recipe and prepare it a day in advance so that on Thanksgiving all you have to do is pop it in the oven.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Tear the bread, including crusts, into small, bite-sized pieces, roughly the size of walnut halves. Place them on an ungreased baking sheet in a single layer and toast in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, turning once, until crisp but not browned. You will have about 10 cups. Set aside to cool.
Place the brandy or water and cranberries in a small saucepan over low heat until the liquid simmers. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes until the cranberries soften and plump slightly, absorbing all the liquid.
Use 1 tablespoon of the butter to grease a shallow, 10- to 12-cup baking dish. Melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. When it foams, add the shallots and cook for 6 minutes until shallots are softened. Scrape all the butter and shallots into a large mixing bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
Add the toasted bread to the mixing bowl, along with the cranberries, hazelnuts, sage, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Toss to combine all the ingredients and coat the bread with the melted butter. Pour in 2 cups of the stock (it should be cool) and stir. Beat the 2 eggs into the remaining 1 cup of stock and stir into the stuffing just enough to blend without overmixing.
Spoon the stuffing into the baking dish without packing it down. Dot it with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Refrigerate overnight or until ready to bake.
To bake, place the covered stuffing into an oven set at anywhere between 350 to 425 degrees; bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until stuffing crowns in the center and the top browns, 30 to 45 minutes longer.
Note: To toast hazelnuts, spread the shelled nuts in a shallow pan and roast in a 350-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the skins crack. To remove skins, rub warm nuts with a rough cloth or between your hands.