Fennel and Escarole Stuffing with Pine Nuts

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, fennel, garlic, rosemary, thyme, fennel seeds, and salt. Cook, covered, until the onion is soft and translucent, 5 to 7 min. Add the escarole, cover, and cook until the escarole is wilted. Add the wine and let it simmer until some of the liquid has evaporated, 2 or 3 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the vegetables with the bread cubes, pine nuts, and lemon zest. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste; toss to combine. The stuffing should just hold together when mounded on a spoon. Bake in the bird or in a casserole as directed below.

Stuff the bird -- or, if baking some or all of the stuffing in a casserole, pour a cup or two of stock over the stuffing to replace the juices the stuffing would have absorbed from the bird. Bake it covered until heated through, 45 minutes to 1 hour. For a crunchy top, uncover it for the last 15 minutes of baking.