Meme’s Cornbread Dressing

Name: Meme’s Cornbread Dressing
Yield: serves 6 to 8
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the dish; 4 cups day-old, crumbled Buttermilk Cornbread (page 211); 1 loaf brioche or egg bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups); 3/4 cup fresh or panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs; 3 stalks celery, chopped; 1 onion, preferably Vidalia, chopped; 2 cups chicken stock (page 227) or low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme; Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

December 9, 2011

At Thanksgiving Meme always prepared her dressing on the side, as opposed to stuffing her turkey. Although there are exceptions, it seems most Southerners “dress” instead of “stuff.” I’ve taken a few liberties with Meme’s recipe, adding brioche and panko. It’s okay to use store-bought cornbread, but make sure it is not sweet. Typically, Southern cornbread is savory and rich with the taste of corn, with no sugar added. Sweet cornbread produces a dressing that’s just not quite right. This dish is another in the book that serves more than the four to six people, and is best for larger gatherings of friends and family. It can be halved, or divided into two smaller pans—one to cook now, the other to wrap tightly in plastic and freeze for later use. After thawing to room temperature, cook as directed.

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