Make-Ahead Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage and Sage Recipe

ICE Chef-Instructors are a combination of kitchen mentor and supportive right hand. In the context of Thanksgiving, that means helping you cook the holiday dinner of your dreams without the associated stress and frustration. Think bold and abundant and flavorful (and throw out the pages-long grocery list, full-day cooking frenzy and frantic dash to get dishes on the table).

Here's a sample menu that reflects the joyful Thanksgiving day preparation described above:

• One appetizer to rule them all: Director of Education Hervé Guillard wheels away your worries with his Baked Brie Cheese. This set-it-and-forget-it starter can be adorned with whatever’s in your fridge: caramelized onions, hot honey, fruit jams and cranberry relish. 
• The main event: Try Lead Chef-Instructor Shawn Matijevich'sCartoon-Style Turkey “Leg” Roast. This one will take time, but you'll be rewarded with serious wow factor. Plus, all the components can be prepped two to three days ahead. 
• For dessert: Pastry & Baking Arts Chef-Instructor Kierin Baldwin shares her guide (and recipes) for a decadent holiday cookie spread, which is achieved by manipulating a single cookie dough base to create multiple variations: Three Doughs, Nine Holiday Cookie Recipes.

This, of course, leaves your Thanksgiving sides (which many argue are the best parts of the meal).

Central to those sides is stuffing. Culinary Arts Chef-Instructor Leif Evans has you covered with his sweet-and-savory cornbread stuffing. It starts with homemade cornbread (no shade to store-bought) mixed with sausage, sautéed vegetables and fresh herbs like sage, parsley and thyme.

“This was a recipe my grandmother used to make,” says Chef Leif. 

A few pointers from Chef Leif on this side dish:

1. Make sure not to overcook the cornbread because it will be baked again in the stuffing.
2. Use a 9-inch square pan for the stuffing so it’s on the thicker side.
3. Make it one to two days in advance: “Pull the stuffing out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature so it does not go into the oven ice cold. If it’s not cold, it should reheat in about 30 minutes. If it’s getting too much color, cover it with foil and let it [cook] until heated through,” he says.

For those seeking a meatless meal, check out:

• Figs in a Blanket
• Chef Gill's Rosemary-Walnut Squash
• Miso-Sesame Roasted Cauliflower

With just a little planning, a delicious holiday meal is within reach. Get the recipe for Chef Leif’s cornbread stuffing below. It makes for a fabulous turkey day side or a cozy meal any time of the year.

Recipe

Chef Leif's Cornbread-Sausage Stuffing

Makes one 9x9-inch stuffing

Ingredients

Cornbread:

1½ cups sugar
½ cup butter, room temperature
3 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups yellow cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lard

Cornbread Sausage Stuffing:

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
3 ribs celery, diced
2 small or 1 medium onion, diced
salt and pepper, to taste
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
6-8 fresh sage leaves, minced
¼ bunch parsley, minced
10-12 springs of thyme, picked
1 cornbread round
1-1½ quarts chicken stock

Directions

Procedure for Cornbread:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Place a 10-inch cast-iron pan in oven 8-10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter. 
4. Whisk in eggs one at a time.
5. Mix in buttermilk and cornmeal until fully incorporated. 
6. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
7. Mix dry ingredients into cornmeal batter. Do not over mix. 
8. Carefully remove cast-iron from oven and add lard, swirling to coat the entire pan.
9. Pour in the batter and place cast-iron on a baking sheet. Place backing sheet in oven and bake 30-35 minutes. (A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. If it doesn't, return cornbread to oven for a few more minutes.)
10. Turn cornbread out of cast-iron pan and place on cooling rack until fully cooled.

Procedure for Cornbread Sausage Stuffing:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. In a sauté pan, brown the sausage meat. Remove sausage, but not sausage renderings, from pan and set aside. 
3. In the same pan, sauté celery and onion in sausage renderings until soft. Season with salt and pepper. Add minced garlic and cook for a few minutes. 
4. Remove sautéed vegetables from pan and combine with sausage and fresh herbs. Break cornbread round into medium chunks and combine with the meat mixture.
5. Add chicken stock a little at a time, mixing continuously, until you reach your desired moisture level. Adjust seasoning as desired. (Chef's note: Stop adding stock when mixture starts making a “flop flop” sound while being mixed.)
6. Pour mixture into 9’’ casserole dish and bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. 
7. Remove from oven and serve hot.