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1
Preheat the oven to 400F for 20 minutes.
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2
Then turn the heat down to 300F.
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3
Spray 2 rimmed baking sheets or jelly-roll pans with oil.
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4
Spread the crumbled cornbread in a single layer on each baking sheet.
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5
You will have to do this in several batches.
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6
Checking every 10 minutes or so and shaking the pans to redistribute the crumbs, bake the crumbs until they are quite dry but not browned, 30 to 35 minutes.
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7
Transfer the dry cornbread to a large bowl.
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8
As the cornbread toasts, prepare the sausage.
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9
For the meat version, brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking up the pieces with a spatula.
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10
Remove the browned sausage with a slotted spoon, and add it to the dry cornbread in the bowl along with 1 or 2 tablespoons of the sausage grease (discard any remaining grease).
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11
For the vegetarian version: Place the oil in a large pan over medium heat.
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12
When the pan is hot, add the soysage and saute according to package directions, keeping any leftover fat in the pan.
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13
Dice the cooked soysage as necessary into bite-size pieces, and add it, along with the cooking oil, to the cornbread in the bowl.
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14
Add the onion, celery, garlic, sage, thyme, parsley, dried fruit, and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste to the bowl.
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15
(Note: You can prepare the dressing in advance up to this point.
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16
Let it cool, stash it in zip-top bags, and store, refrigerated, until ready to complete the recipe.)
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17
Heat 2 cups of the stock and 3 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan.
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18
When the butter melts, pour the liquid over the crumb mixture and toss well, using your hands.
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19
Taste, and if you like, add the extra 1/2 cup stock and adjust the seasonings.
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20
Use to stuff the bird or vegetable of choice, according to your favorite roast turkey or pumpkin recipe.
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21
Or bake as is as an accompaniment (see step 6).
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22
To bake the dressing on its own, place it in a deep oil-sprayed baking dish with a 4-quart capacity.
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23
Dot the top with the reserved tablespoon of butter and bake at 325F, tightly covered, for 1 hour.
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24
Uncover, raise the heat to 375F, and bake for another 10 minutes.
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25
Variations:
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26
Savory Cornbread Dressing with Bacon
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27
Substitute 1 pound crumbled crisp-cooked bacon for the sausage.
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28
Vegetarian Savory Cornbread Dressing with Tempeh Bacon
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29
Substitute 1 pound smoked tempeh, cooked until crisp in 1/4 cup oil or butter, then diced, for the sausage.
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30
You may use the fat the tempeh was cooked in instead of the butter in step
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31
Savory Cornbread Dressing with Eggs
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32
To some, a savory dressing without hard-cooked eggs is a sham and a mockery.
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33
If you are one of these people, simply add 4 to 6 hard-cooked eggs, coarsely chopped, to the dressing along with the vegetables and herbs.
