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1
Heat oven to 250 degrees.
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2
Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
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3
Trim the crusts from the white bread and cut into 1-inch cubes; if using corn bread, coarsely crumble it.
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4
Spread the bread pieces out on one or two large baking sheets.
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5
Toast in the oven, tossing occasionally, until very dry, about 30 minutes for white bread, 1 hour for corn bread.
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6
Transfer to a large bowl to cool.
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7
Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.
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8
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon strips until crisp.
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9
Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, leaving the fat in the pan.
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10
Add the leeks to the bacon fat and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 10 minutes.
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11
Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
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12
Cook, tossing frequently, until mushrooms are tender and most of their juices have evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes.
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13
Stir in the sage and cook 1 minute.
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14
Add the wine and cook until it evaporates, about 2 minutes.
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15
Spoon the mushroom mixture over the dried bread.
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16
Stir in stock.
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17
If using white bread, stir in the cider.
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18
Add parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
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19
The mixture should be moist and very soft.
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20
If you like your stuffing extremely moist, add enough stock to make it seem slightly soggy but not wet.
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21
(Think pudding.)
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22
Crumble bacon and stir it in.
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23
Transfer the bread mixture to the prepared baking pan.
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24
Drizzle 3 tablespoons melted butter over the stuffing.
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25
Bake until golden, 35 to 45 minutes.
