CRAB MEAT CORNBREAD STUFFING

Dry the cornbread, add a bit of half-and-half, and let the bread
soak for at least an hour to create the best flavor and texture in
this traditional cornbread stuffing. We've included a recipe for our own cornbread .
Makes about 12 cups, serving 10 to 12
In this recipe, the stuffing is baked outside of the turkey in a baking dish.
If you want to stuff your turkey with it, prepare the stuffing through step 2, then follow the directions
from the Roast
To make the stuffing a day in advance, increase both the chicken stock and
half-and-half by 1/4 cup each and refrigerate the
unbaked stuffing 12 to 24 hours; before transferring
it to the baking dish, let the stuffing stand at room temperature for about
minutes so that it loses its chill.
12 cups cornbread broken into 1-inch pieces
(include crumbs), spread in even layer on 2 baking
sheets, and dried in 250-degree oven 50 to 60 minutes
3 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra
for baking dish
into 1-inch pieces 3 medium onions, chopped fine
(about 3 cups) 3 ribs celery, chopped fine (about 11/2 cups)
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1pt lump crab meat with juice.

1. Place corn bread in large bowl. Whisk together stock,
half-and-half, and eggs in medium bowl;
pour over cornbread and toss very gently to coat so
that corn bread does not break into smaller pieces. Set aside.
2. Heat heavy-bottomed, 12-inch skillet over medium-
high heat until hot, about 11/2 minutes. Add 2
tablespoons butter to pan and swirl to coat pan
bottom. When foam subsides, add crab meat and cook,
stirring occasionally, until crab meat loses its raw
color, 2 to 3 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer crab meat to
medium bowl. Add about half the onions and celery to
fat in skillet; saute, stirring
occasionally, over medium-high until softened, about 5
minutes. Transfer onion mixture to bowl with crab meat. Return
skillet to heat and add remaining 6 tablespoons
butter; when foam subsides, add remaining celery and
onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until
softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme, sage,
and
garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds; add
salt and pepper. Add this
mixture along with crab meat and onion mixture to
cornbread and stir gently to combine so that
cornbread does not break into smaller pieces. Cover
bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate to blend
flavors, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
3. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat
oven to 400
degrees. Butter 10 by 15-inch baking dish (or two 9-
inch square or 11 by 7-inch baking dishes). Transfer
stuffing to baking dish; pour any liquid accumulated
in bottom of bowl over stuffing and, if necessary ,
gently press stuffing with rubber spatula to fit into
baking dish. Bake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

Golden Cornbread

Makes About 16 cups crumbled cornbread
If you are using this cornbread for your stuffing, you
will use about three-quarters of the recipe-the rest
is for nibbling.
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups buttermilk 11/3 cups milk
2 cups yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground 2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
baking dish 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven
to 375 degrees. Grease 9 by 13-inch baking dish with
butter. 2. Beat eggs in medium bowl; whisk in buttermilk and
milk. 3. Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda,
sugar, and salt together in large bowl. Push dry
ingredients up sides of bowl to make a well, then
pour egg and milk mixture into well and stir with
whisk until just combined; stir in butter.
4. Pour batter into greased baking dish. Bake until
top is golden brown and edges have pulled away from
sides of pan, 30 to 40 minutes.
5. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and cool to room
temperature before using, about 1 hour.