In his little tome devote to cornbread, The Cornbread Book, Jeremy Jackson includes some recipes from Missouri and his mom. Northerners call it stuffing and Southerners call it dressing. But all of us love the side dish that makes for a complete holiday meal. Turkey without stuffing? Without dressing? That would be holiday heresy.
This recipes is from Jeremy’s mother and is one of those family recipes that gets passed on to each generation, appears on every holiday table, and is one of those “constants in life” we all find ourselves worshipping.
You’ll recognize this recipe, with its celery and onion, sage and thyme and savory. What is different is the presence of both white bread and cornbread. And the technique of grating bread instead of tearing or cutting is something you probably have not encountered. You can certainly adjust the bread amounts or the seasonings. If you seek some heat, then some chiles or peppers could certainly be added. Fruit would be equally welcome: sautéed apples or pears, or dried cherries or cranberries.
You can use this recipe as it stands, or create your own family heirloom. Your starting point here is a tested, balanced recipe — ready for your enjoyment or your imagination.
Classic Cornbread Stuffing
Yield: 8 cups
Ingredients:
- 5 cups crumbled or grated cornbread
- 3 cups grated white bread (frozen is easier to grate)
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced onion
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon sage
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- ¼teaspoon savory
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Put the grated cornbread and white bread into a large bowl and set aside.
Sauté the celery and onion in the butter until they are tender. Add the sage, thyme, savory, and pepper and let them heat in the skillet for a minute or so.
Stir the celery/onion mixture into the bread mixture. Then drizzle in the chicken broth, stirring.
Pour the dressing into a 9 X 12-inch baking dish and press it down very lightly with a spatula. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until toasted looking and slightly dry on top.
Source: The Cornbread Book by Jeremy Jackson