Chef Black White's Turkey Cornbread Dressing and Gravy
Ingredients
Cornbread*
3tbspbacon drippings
2large eggs
1-1/2cupscorn meal
1tspsalt
1/2tspbaking soda
1tspbaking powder
1-1/4cupsbuttermilk
Dressing
19x13-inch pan of cornbread, crumbled
10white or whole wheat bread slices
poultry seasoning
rubbed sage
1/2tspfreshly ground black pepper
3large stalks celery, chopped
1large onion, chopped
1large green pepper, chopped
3/4cupbutter
4cupschicken stock
1cupturkey pan drippings and shredded turkey
3large eggs, slightly beaten
Giblet Gravy
3tbspbutter
3tbspall-purpose flour
1cupdrippings from turkey roaching pan, if possible
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2cupheavy cream
1 to 1-1/2cupsturkey giblets (chopped pieces of cooked liver and neck
1/2cupdry Sherry (optional)
Instructions
Cornbread*
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Beat the eggs in a medium bowl until frothy. Add the corn meal, salt, baking soda and baking powder, and stir to combine. Add the buttermilk and stir well. Add bacon drippings.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
Dressing
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Crumble the cornbread and white bread into a very large baking dish.
Sauté celery, onion and green pepper in butter over medium heat. Combine sautéed vegetables with the bread crumbs and mix well.
Add the beaten eggs, chicken stock ( and any turkey pan drippings if you have it) add chicken stock if needed- consistently needs to be very soft. Add shredded Turkey.
Add 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage, black pepper, and mix thoroughly.
Bake 15 -20 minutes, half way stir dressing down from the sides of the pan so that it cooks uniformly.
Total cooking time 30 minutes.
Giblet
Take giblets from turkey with water or chick broth, pan drippings and add to a sauce pan to make a giblet broth. Cook 30 minutes.
Over medium-low heat, melt butter with flour to make a roux. Slowly stir in giblet stock, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the gravy is smooth and thickened.
Finish with (sherry and) heavy cream.
Notes
*Instead of making cornbread from scratch, make Jiffy cornbread mix. Bake in a 9x13 baking dish.