Cornbread is traditional in many parts of the United States, from New England to the South and the Southwest. This stuffing contains some of the hearty flavors of traditional Southwestern cooking.
3/4 pound bulk Fresh Mexican Chorizo, Chaurice, or purchased sausage
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 large red onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, and chopped
1 celery rib, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
11/4 cups Chicken Stock or purchased low-sodium stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons canned chopped mild green chiles, drained
3 cups cornbread stuffing cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan if not using stuffing inside a turkey or chicken. For safety instructions for stuffed poultry, see page 302.
2. Heat a large, covered skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble sausage into the skillet and cook, breaking up lumps with a fork, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until browned. Remove sausage from the skillet with a slotted spoon, and set aside.
3. Heat butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, green bell pepper, celery, and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add cumin and oregano, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Return sausage to the skillet, and add stock, cilantro, and chiles, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer mixture for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
4. Stir in stuffing cubes, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer stuffing to the prepared pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until slightly crisp.
Note: The stuffing can be prepared for baking up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Add 15 minutes to the covered baking time if mixture is chilled.