Crescent City Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients

Cornbread

• 1
  
  stick unsalted butter
  
• 1
  
  cup stone ground cornmeal
  
• 1/2
  
  cup AP flour
  
• 1
  
  teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/2
  
  teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/2
  
  teaspoon salt
  
• 1
  
  cup buttermilk
  
• 1
  
  egg
  
• 1
  
  tablespoon agave syrup (or honey)
  

The Rest

• 1/2
  
  cup diced yellow onion
  
• 1/2
  
  cup diced green bell pepper
  
• 1/2
  
  cup diced red bell pepper
  
• 1/2
  
  cup diced celery
  
• 3
  
  large cloves garlic – minced or pressed
  
• 2
  
  links (about 6 oz) andouille sausage
  
• 1/2
  
  cup duck drippings (or sub 1/2 butter 1/2 broth)
  
• 1/2
  
  cup dry white wine
  
• 1 1/2
  
  cups low salt chicken broth (possibly more – it will depend on how dry the cornbread is)
  
• 1/4
  
  cup chopped parsley
  
• 1/4
  
  cup chopped green onion
  
• 
  
  Cajun Seasoning – see note – I used mine from the duck, which you can make, or buy your favorite – be aware of salt levels – SEE STEP 3!!
  

Directions

1. Make the cornbread – put 2 tbs of butter in a 9″ iron skillet (or baking pan with similar volume) and put it in the oven. Turn the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Melt the remaining butter. Whisk the egg, honey and buttermilk together, then whisk the butter in – adding it in a steady stream. Mix together the dry ingredients, then mix the dry into the wet. Get the skillet out of the oven, pour the batter in, and bake it for 35-40 minutes until it is golden brown. Let it cool a bit then take it out of the skillet and break it into big hunks in a bowl and set it out to dry (I do this in the morning and make the dressing in the evening)
3. I do the rest in a 12″ iron skillet, but you can transfer to a baking dish if you don’t have one. Dice up the andouille. Cook it over medium heat until it starts to brown and let out some fat. Add the onions, celery and peppers and cook several more minutes, then add the garlic. Turn off the heat. Now you want to break the cornbread up and stir it in, then add drippings, wine and some broth. Taste – you may want to add some cajun seasoning – store bought or home made (a mixture of 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dry thyme, 1/2 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp garlic powder, 4 tsp salt and 2 tsp black pepper). Stir in the parsley and green onion. Taste again. You may also add more broth, the mixture should be pretty wet, but not a pile of mush – you still want some cornbread texture.
4. Bake in the skillet at 350, until the dressing is getting brown and crunchy on top. That’s it!