Recipe: Bon Appetit Cajun Cornbread Stuffing

We love this time of year because of all of the holiday and wellness inspired food and fitness in the spirit of gratitude. MOVE does its annual gratitude challenge and owner Elaine Economou is hosting a FREE Thanksgiving Gratitude Class on the morning of Thanksgiving. 9 AM at MOVE Westside. Join our Thanksgiving Class. 

Spice up your Thanksgiving table with this delicious cajun cornbread stuffing recipe. Made of andouille sausage, corn bread, red bell pepper, and cayenne pepper, this cornbread recipe will add a colorful kick and excellent side dish. 

Stuffing

Makes 10 servings (about 14 cups)

• Buttermilk Corn Bread (Recipe below, but it can also be store-bought)
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound andouille or other spicy fully cooked smoked sausage, diced
• 3 cups chopped red bell pepper
• 3 cups chopped green onion (about two bunches)
• 1 cup chopped shallots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon minced bay leaves
• 4 large eggs, beaten to blend
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 2 cups low-salt chicken broth (can be store bought)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Arrange corn bread on large baking sheet. Bake until slightly dry and toasted, about 20 minutes. Transfer to very large bowl; cool.
2. Melt butter in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat. Add sausage, pepper, green onion, shallot, celery, garlic, thyme, sage, allspice, cayenne, and bay leaves and saute until vegetables are just tender and mixture is very moist, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir vegetable mixture into corn bread. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mixture can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Mix eggs into stuffing.
4. To bake stuffing in turkey: Add ½ cup chicken broth to stuffing and mix thoroughly. Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Mix enough chicken broth into remaining stuffing to moisten. Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover tightly with buttered aluminum foil. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 20 minutes. Uncover stuffing and bake until top begins to brown, about 15 minutes.
5. To bake stuffing in pan: Preheat oven to 350F. Butter 13×9 inch baking dish. Mix 2 cups chicken broth into stuffing. Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with buttered aluminum foil. Bake until stuffing is firm and heated through, about 45 minutes. Uncover stuffing and bake until beginning to brown on top, about 15 minutes.

Buttermilk Corn Bread

You can make this tender corn bread a day ahead.

• 2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup sifted all purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ baking soda
• ½ cup chilled unsalted butter, diced
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 400F. Butter bottom of 9×9 inch baking pan. Mix first six ingredients in food processor. Add butter and cut in, using on/off to pulse, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Beat buttermilk and eggs in large bowl to blend. Add cornmeal mixture to egg mixture and blend. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake until corn bread is light golden brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.