2 tablespoons butter
1-pound Andouille Sausage (pork, chicken, or turkey) cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 12-ounce package bulk sausage (preferably breakfast, and preferably without fennel)
3 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped red bell peppers
1 cup chopped green onions
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (like Louisiana hot sauce), or to taste
1 teaspoon dried sage, rubbed between your fingers
1 homemade cornbread made a day in advance (recipe follows) or, if you must, 1 12-ounce bag of dry corn bread stuffing mix
1½ cups canned low salt chicken broth
Heat oven to 350° F.
Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat. Add all the sausages and cook until they’re brown and cooked through, breaking up the meat with the back of a fork. Add onions, celery, and bell peppers. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 – 15 minutes. Add green onions, thyme, hot pepper sauce and sage. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. (NOTE: This can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. But be sure to bring to room temperature before continuing.)
Add cornbread to sausage mixture. (If you’ve baked your own, weigh 12 – 16 ounces of it. I know it sounds compulsive but it’s worth it: whatever is left over, you can eat. ) Cut into small cubes or crumble, either way is fine, before adding to sausage.) Add salt and pepper to taste.
Butter a 13X 9 Pyrex dish, a gratin dish or baking pan. Add 3/4-1 1/2 cups of chicken stock to the stuffing, just enough to moisten. Cover the stuffing with a buttered piece of tin foil, buttered side down and bake until heated through, 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is golden, about 20 minutes more.
Makes 10 – 12 servings.
Adapted from Bruce Aidells
THE BEST BUTTERY CORN BREAD
Heat oven to 400° F. Butter a 9X5X3 inch loaf pan.
1½ cups yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup flour, sifted
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
In a bowl, combine cornmeal, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix milk, eggs, and cooled butter. Stir liquids into dry ingredients. Do not overmix.
Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake until golden on top, 35 – 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on rack.
Makes one loaf
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Katherine Reback