My Table To Yours

And a bonus recipe: my cajun-style cornbread stuffing!

Every year I host a “Friendsgiving” dinner in advance of the actual holiday, usually on the weekend before, but this year I had friends over last night. I’m not a meat eater, so in place of turkey I made a portobello Wellington—a puff pastry filled with caramelized leeks, nutmeg scented spinach, a garlic panko crumb layer for crunch, and mushroom duxelles. Smothered in mushroom gravy, it is a real hit with guests and serves up fancy!

My sides are traditional and include Yukon gold mashed potatoes (I use cashew milk to add creaminess), fresh cranberries with orange zest, maple glazed Brussel sprouts, sautéed sweet mustard carrots with thyme, and a cajun corn bread stuffing.

Riley is too young still to eat solid foods, but by next year she’ll be partaking! Mrs. Zhao (my hero) enjoyed her first Friendsgiving dinner. She was too full to even eat the brandied butternut squash pie!

As a special offering to folks this year, I’ve written out my once secret recipe for the cajun-style cornbread stuffing I make each year (it was always a hit at the company Thanksgiving potluck). This can be made with meat or without, it’s delicious either way!

Jay’s cajun corn bread stuffing recipe

Ingredients:

• Two 8” pans of cornbread, made a day or two ahead of time

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (canola or safflower)

• 1/2 cup flour

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped

• 4-5 stalks celery, chopped

• 2 green peppers, cored and diced

• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2” dice

• 4 garlic cloves, chopped fine

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage

• 3-4 tbsp cajun spice mix

• 1-2 links cooked andouille sausage, sliced (or cooked mushroom bacon or smoky veggie sausage)

• 4-5 cups veggie or chicken stock, more as needed

• 1/4 cup maple syrup (optional)

I pre-make two 8” square pans of cornbread two day before and let it dry out.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Heat a big stock pot on medium high and make a roux by adding the flour and oil into the hot pot and whisking constantly for around 8-10 minutes. I recommend wearing mitts while stirring as it can splash! Cook until the roux is dark red making sure you scrape the edges of the pot.

Add the “trinity” of veggies used in Cajun cooking: onion, celery and green peppers. Cook that down for 5 minutes then add the apples, chopped garlic, and fresh herbs. Cook until apples are soft, another 3 minutes.

Mix in 3 heaping tablespoons of your favorite cajun spice mix (I make mine out of equal parts red, black and white pepper, with some onion and garlic powder, thyme, and salt) and let it all cook together. If you like it spicier, add more, or tone it down, up to you!

At this point you can add andouille sausage, but I use four slices of cooked mushroom bacon to keep it vegetarian, or if I don’t have any I add 1 tbsp liquid smoke.

Add about four to five cups of vegetable or chicken stock, one cup at a time. When the stock first goes in, it will thicken quickly because of the roux. Don’t freak out, that’s normal. Just mix and then add another cup, and mix again. When it’s kind of soupy instead of pasty, crumble in the corn bread using your hands, mixing with a heavy spoon until it’s evenly moist and mixed up with the yummy veggies. Add more water or stock if it’s too dry. If you like it a bit sweet, add 1/4 cup maple syrup and mix in thoroughly. The stuffing should be moist without being gooey.

Spray a 9 x 13” pan with cooking oil and add the stuffing, then cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes. Take the foil off and crank the broiler, and let the top brown for 5-7 minutes, being careful not to let it burn.

The stuffing can be made a day in advance. If you do so, rewarm the whole dish and then save the broiling step for last.

Have a wonderful Turkey Day! I personally am thinking of all the things we are collectively fighting for, and for which I remain so grateful. They fill me with resolve and purpose—and that fire in my belly is making me hungry!

Hmmm. Time for some leftovers! : )

Jay