Chef Bills Cornbread Dressing Food

CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Melt butter and sweet vegetables until tender. Add ham and cook over low heat for 2 more minutes. Set aside to slightly cool. Whisk together eggs, stock, cream and herbs and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Combine all items, including cornbread, in a 4-quart lasagna pan and cook covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for additional 20 minutes or until crusty.

THE BEST CORNBREAD DRESSING

Steps:

• For the cornbread: preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish generously with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl until combined.
• Put the butter in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup or a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until completely melted, about 1 minute. Set aside to cool slightly, then whisk in the buttermilk, whole milk and eggs until smooth.
• Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until just combined with no lumps remaining. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish. Bake until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. (The cornbread can be made one day in advance. After cooling completely, wrap the pan tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.)
• Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• Once the cornbread is completely cool, run a small offset spatula around the edges of the pan, then invert it onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch cubes. Transfer to 2 rimmed baking sheets and spread into an even layer. Bake, rotating the trays halfway through, until the cornbread cubes are crisp at the edges and almost completely dried out, about 40 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool completely. (This step can be done up to 24 hours in advance. Store the cooled cornbread cubes in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag until ready to use.)
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish generously with butter.
• For the dressing: melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, sage, thyme and poultry seasoning and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Add the cornbread cubes, chicken broth and eggs to the bowl and toss gently until the vegetables are evenly dispersed and the bread is very moist (do not overwork or the cornbread will fall apart). Transfer to the prepared baking dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake until warmed through, about 30 minutes. Uncover, then return to the oven and bake until lightly browned and crisp at the edges, about 20 minutes more. Let sit for 10 minutes, then top with chopped parsley and serve.

CORNBREAD DRESSING

Steps:

• For the dressing: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Put the crumbled cornbread in a large bowl and set aside.
• Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, green pepper, celery, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the giblets, sage and thyme until just heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the large bowl, add the eggs and fold into the cornbread until well combined. Wipe the skillet clean and set aside.
• Add 1/4 cup of the stock at a time to the bowl and fold after each addition until the mixture looks like batter (1 1/2 cups stock should be plenty). Transfer the dressing to the skillet and dot the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake until the eggs are cooked through and the top is golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the gravy: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Slowly pour in the stock, whisking constantly, until well combined. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the flour taste is gone and the gravy has thickened, about 15 minutes. Fold the giblets, egg and heavy cream into the gravy. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Serve alongside the dressing.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with cooking spray.
• Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until combined.
• Whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Fold in the cornmeal mixture until just combined (it should be a bit lumpy).
• Transfer the batter to the prepared skillet and dot the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the skillet for 10 minutes, then invert the bread onto a rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.