Cornbread Andouille Stuffing

Ingredients

Cornbread
4 tbs. butter (or cooking spray)
3 cups stone-ground cornmeal
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tbs. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tbs. salt
3 eggs
9 tbs. sugar
3/4 cup grapeseed oil
3 3/4 cups buttermilk

Stuffing
6 tbs. butter
3 cups 1/2-inch diced andouille sausage
2 cups 1/4-inch diced onion
2 cups 1/2-inch diced celery
2 cups 1/2-inch diced green pepper
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp. chipotle powder
1/4 tsp. celery seed
2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp. dried sage
3/4 tsp. salt
3 1/2 lbs. cubed cornbread
7 cups chicken stock (start by adding about 4 cups, and continue adding remaining stock, if necessary)

Instructions

Cornbread
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brown the butter in a small pan on the stovetop. Grease 3 1-pound loaf pans or a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with the butter.

In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar; once combined, whisk in the oil followed by the buttermilk to create a thick and milky mixture.

Pour the egg mixture into the cornmeal-flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold together the wet and dry ingredients for about 20 seconds, just until combined (better to mix too little than too much).

Pour the cornbread mixture into the loaf pans, and bake uncovered on the middle rack in the oven. After 15 minutes, turn the loaf pans, and bake for a total of 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a sharp knife poked into the center comes out clean.

Remove the loaves from the pans, and cool on a rack. When cool, cut into roughly 3/4-inch cubes.

Stuffing
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a skillet, melt the butter, add the sausage, then cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until the sausage lightly renders and starts to caramelize. Add the onion, celery, and green peppers. Cook for 2 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften. Add the garlic, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add all the seasonings, and stir to coat the vegetables evenly until the herbs release an aroma. Transfer to a large bowl, and add the diced cornbread. Gradually add the chicken stock 1 cup at a time until the mixture is moist but the chunks of cornbread still retain their shape. (The amount of stock depends on the dryness of the cornbread.)

Reserve 1/3 of the stuffing for the turkey. Place the other 2/3 in an ovenproof 12-by-12-inch baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes with the foil and 5 minutes without. (Published 2011)