The Silver Palate's Corn Bread-Sausage Stuffing With Apples

This recipe is from my wonderful sister-in-law, Lucia. She is an excellent cook, and always brought the stuffing for our Thanksgiving dinners. Since she lives across the country from us now, I had to get the recipe and make it myself. I've made it for two years in a row now, and it is delicious every time. It's Mark's favorite.

The prep for it is time consuming, but well worth it!

Corn Bread-Sausage Stuffing With Apples

- makes enough stuffing for a 20-pound turkey, 12 to 14 portions -
Adapted from Silver Palate Cookbook

Ingredients

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onions
3 tart apples (Jonathan and Winesap are good), cored and chunked; do not peel
1 pound lightly seasoned bulk sausage (breakfast sausage with sage is best)
3 cups coarsely crumbled corn bread
3 cups coarsely crumbled whole-wheat bread
3 cups coarsely crumbled white bread (French or homemade preferred)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1 1/2 cups shelled pecan halves

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Melt half of the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook, partially covered, until tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes, Transfer the onions and butter to a large mixing bowl.

3. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet. Add the apple chunks and cook over high heat until lightly colored but not mushy. Transfer the apples and butter to the mixing bowl.

4. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook over medium heat,stirring, until lightly browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the mixing bowl and reserve the rendered fat.

5. Add the remaining ingredients to the ingredients in the mixing bowl and combine gently. Cool completely before stuffing the bird; refrigerate if not used promptly.

6. If you do not wish actually to stuff the bird (goose or duck. for example, can make the stuffing greasy), spoon it into a casserole. Cover the casserole and set into a large pan. Pour hot water around the casserole to come halfway up the sides, Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, basting occasionally with the cooking juices from the bird or with the reserved sausage fat if necessary.