Cajun Cornbread Stuffing

Cajun flavors, andouille sausage, corn bread, red bell pepper and cayenne pepper, combine in an excellent side dish that brings color and spice to the Thanksgiving or Christmas table.
Buttermilk Corn Bread

  • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
  • 1 pound andouille or other spicy fully cooked smoked sausage  (such as hot links), diced
  • 3 cups chopped red bell pepper
  • 3 cups chopped green onions (about 2 bunches)
  • 1 cup chopped shallots (about 8)
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
  • 2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced bay leaves (about 8 small)
  • 4 large eggs, beaten to blend
  • 1 1/2 cups (about) canned low-salt chicken broth

    •

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange corn bread on large baking sheet. Bake until slightly dry and toasted, about 20 minutes. Transfer to very large bowl; cool.

    Melt butter in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat. Add sausage, pepper, green onions, shallots, celery, garlic, thyme, sage, allspice, cayenne and bay leaves and sauté until vegetables are just tender and mixture is very moist, about 15 minutes. Stir vegetable mixture into corn bread. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Mix eggs into stuffing.

    To bake stuffing in turkey:
    Add 1/2 up chicken broth to stuffing and mix thoroughly. Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Mix enough chicken broth into remaining stuffing to moisten (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken broth, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover tightly with buttered aluminum foil. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 30 minutes.Uncover stuffing and bake until top begins to brown, about 15 minutes.

    To bake all stuffing in pan:
    Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Mix 1 1/2 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 just beginning to brown to top, about 15 minutes.

    Makes 10 servings.

     
     

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