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1
Preheat oven to 325 F.
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2
In a large shallow baking pan toast bread in middle of oven until just dry, 15 to 20 minutes.
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3
Trim fennel stalks flush with bulbs, reserving fronds, and discard stalks.
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4
Cut bulbs into 1/4-inch dice and chop reserved fronds.
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5
In a large skillet cook fennel bulb and fronds in butter over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until bulb is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
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6
While fennel is cooking, cut tomatoes into 1/4-inch dice and in a small saucepan simmer in broth 10 minutes.
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7
In a large bowl toss together bread, fennel, tomato mixture, vinegar, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste and cool completely.
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8
(Stuffing may be made up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
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9
Bring stuffing to room temperature before proceeding.)
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10
Any frozen poultry destined for stuffing should be completely thawed, and the stuffing itself brought to room temperature before it's put into the turkey.
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11
Do not stuff your bird the night before you cook it; such a seeming time-saver can have dangerous results.
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12
Instead, it is best to loosely fill the bird's neck and body cavities immediately before roasting.
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13
And always use a meat or instant-read thermometer: The meat is done when the temperature of the thickest part of the thigh (be careful not to touch the bones) reaches 180F.
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14
; the stuffing baked inside the bird is done at 160-165F.
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15
After roasting, let your stuffed poultry stand 15 to 20 minutes, a double assurance that the requisite temperatures for food safety have been reached.
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16
In a shallow baking dish bake stuffing in preheated 325 F oven 40 minutes (for moist stuffing, bake it covered entire time; for less moist stuffing that has a slightly crisp top, uncover it after 10 minutes).
