Corn Bread Dressing with Chorizo and Roasted Red Peppers

Corn Bread Dressing withChorizo and Roasted Red Peppers
serves 8-10 as a side dish
[printable recipe]

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe basic corn bread, chopped into cubes, about 6 cups (recipe below)
• 1/2 pound fresh chorizo
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided, plus more for buttering casserole dish
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 ribs celery, diced
• 1 ½ cups diced roasted red peppers, 3-4 peppers
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh  cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tablespoon minced chipotle pepper en adobo
• 2 cups chicken broth

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300ºF

Chop corn bread into cubes. Place cubed bread on large baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until surface is dry and lightly browned.

Meanwhile, brown chorizo in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up large chunks and cooking until sausage is no longer pink.  Remove sausage from pan, draining extra fat if needed, and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in same skillet. Add onions and celery and cook until tender and translucent 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat.  Add chorizo, roasted red peppers, cilantro and oregano, stirring to combine. Set mixture aside.

Beat together eggs, salt, chipotle peppers, and chicken broth. 

When corn bread is toasted, remove from oven and turn heat up to 350ºF

In a large bowl, stir together corn bread, chorizo, and egg mixture.  Allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Then, place into buttered 2 quart baking dish.

Dab remaining butter on top of dressing. Place in oven and bake until browned and cooked through, about 50 minutes.

Corn Bread
makes 1 8-inch square pan
Can be made up to 3 days ahead if using for dressing.

• 1 cup corn meal
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400ºF
Grease one 8-inch square baking pan.

Stir together corn meal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Beat eggs together with buttermilk and butter in a separate bowl.

Slowly add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Do NOT overmix.

Place batter in prepared pan (batter will be thick). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until bread is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes before turning out of the pan.

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