Stuffing It With Cornbread
I ran an old-fashioned recipe for cornbread stuffing in the Nov. 18 Recipe Swap column.
For something different, here is a modern version, submitted by Donna Upchurch of Pfafftown.
“I like it because it retains color, texture, and complex flavors and aromas after it has been cooked. No dense grey blobs of stuffing here,” Upchurch wrote. “The boldness of the fresh herbs compensates for the bland quality of the turkey, and the texture can handle heavy-handed applications of gravy.”
Pecan and Apple Cornbread Stuffing
Adapted from the November 1998 issue of Gourmet magazine
Note: Make the cornbread from scratch or purchase fresh cornbread. Or use Pepperidge Farms cornbread stuffing and proceed directly to the stuffing recipe.
To make cornbread from scratch:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups plain yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
In a bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and butter. Add the milk mixture to the cornmeal mixture, and stir the batter until it is just combined. Pour the batter into a greased 8-inch-square baking pan and bake the cornbread in the middle of a preheated 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is pale golden and a tester comes out clean. Let the cornbread cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert it onto a rack and let it cool completely.
Crumble the cornbread (made from scratch or purchased fresh) coarsely into 2 jellyroll pans and bake it in the middle of a preheated 325 degree oven, stirring occasionally, for 30-35 minutes, until it is dry and deep golden. Transfer it to a large bowl.
For the stuffing:
Note: The original recipe calls for fresh or vacuum-packed chestnuts; I like pecans. Fresh herbs really sing in this dish.
Cornbread (about 4-6 cups)
2 cups chopped onion
1 ½ cups chopped celery
1 ½ sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 pound fresh pecan halves and/or pieces (about 2 cups)
3 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves or 1 tablespoon crumbled dried sage
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons crumbled dried thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary (do NOT use dried!)
½ cup minced fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley (fresh only!)
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into small pieces just before using
1 to 2 cups chicken stock, preferably de-fatted, salt-free homemade
1 to 2 cups drinkable dry white wine
In a large skillet, cook the onion and celery with salt and pepper to taste in ½ stick of butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened. Transfer the mixture to the large bowl containing the cornbread (see above). Add the pecans, sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley and remaining 1 stick butter, melted, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss the mixture gently until it is combined well, and let it cool.
The mixture may be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance and kept covered and refrigerated. Do not stuff the turkey in advance.
Just before stuffing the turkey, stir the apples into the mixture. If you plan to stuff the turkey, pack the neck and body cavity loosely with stuffing and prepare according to your directions for the turkey. Transfer the remaining stuffing to a buttered 2-quart baking dish and reserve it, covered and refrigerated. If you plan not to stuff the turkey, place all the stuffing loosely in a larger baking dish and refrigerate.
During the last hour of the turkey roasting, bake the reserved stuffing or the entire recipe if you didn’t stuff the turkey, drizzled with enough stock and white wine to moisten to taste, in a 325 degree oven. Cover with foil for last 15 minutes if stuffing browns too quickly.
Serves at least 8.
