Best Stuffing EVER!

Corn Bread Stuffing with Linguica and Kale

This may be a little late, but I would like to pass on the best stuffing I have ever made. Because we tend to feed 25 to 30 people at Thanksgiving, we always have two turkeys. Having two turkeys means having two stuffings which suits me fine since I think the family stuffing, which my husband insists on making, (can you say boring)…. needs an eccentric cousin.

Sarah Leah Chase’s Cold-Weather Cooking

Published in 1990 by Workman Publishing and illustrated by Gretchen Schields, Cold-Weather Cooking is a treasure trove of finger licking comfort food. If you don’t have the book, get it. Besides the stuffing recipe I will share here, I have used this book so many times it is coming apart ( a sure sign of a great cookbook – unfortunate for the collectors though).

Corn Bread Stuffing with Linguica and Kale

1 pound kale, tough center ribs removed, torn into 1-inch pieces

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 medium Fennel bulb, coarsely chopped

2 medium-size red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and diced

4 cloves garlic , minced

1 1/2 pounds corn-bread stuffing crumbs

2 pound linguica sausage , cut on a diagonal into 1/4-inch slices

1 can (16 1/2 ounces) creamed corn

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup pine nuts  lightly toasted

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon dried oregano

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Blanch kale (dump in boiling water) for approx. 5 min. Drain and cool. Squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Set aside.

2. Melt 3/4 cup butter in large skillet, add onion, fennel, red peppers, and garlic. Saute till softened, approx. 10 min. Transfer to large bowl and toss with corn-bread stuffing crumbs.

3. In same skillet, saute linguica, in batches, until browned all over. Add to stuffing along with accumulated drippings.

4. Add creamed corn, Cheddar, and pine nuts. Heat remaining  1/4 cup butter with broth until butter is melted, pour over stuffing, toss till moistened (add more if stuffing seems dry).  Season with oregano, salt and peper.

5. If using stuffing for a turkey, store in the refrigerator until turkey is ready to be roasted. If baking it as a side dish, place the desired amount in a buttered casserole dish and bake at 350F for 35  to 45 min.

makes enough to stuff a 22 – 24 pound turkey or 15/20 side dish servings.

options

This year I’m substituting fake (soy based) sausage so all the veggies in my family can enjoy this amazing stuffing. Also, instead of kale, I’m going to try using broccoli rabe.

If you can’t find linguica, I have substituted chorizo in the past, and if you can’t find chorizo, use a combo of sweet and spice italian sausage.

Finally, sometimes I make the cornbread from scratch, sometimes I buy the Pepperidge Farms Cornbread stuffing cubes, and this year I cheated and made cornbread from the box ( I know, sacrilege for a former pastry chef)

ENJOY!!!!

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