Ingredients

  • Cornbread
  • 2 cups fine cornmeal, stone ground
  • 1 cup coarse cornmeal, stone ground
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3 cups buttermilk
  • 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 large eggs
  • The Dressing
  • 1 pound applewood smoked bacon, cut into lardons
  • 2 cups onions, cut into a 1/2" dice
  • 2 cups firm, crisp apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2" dice
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons rubbed sage
  • 1 teaspoon savory
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 2 cups rich chicken stock
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 egg whites

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 425. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and brush the paper with oil or butter.
  • Make the cornbread: Whisk the dry ingredients together.
  • Whisk the eggs, buttermilk and melted butter and incorporate into the dry ingredients just until combined.
  • Using an offset spatula, spread the cornbread across the parchment paper.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Once cooled, cut into croutons and leave on the sheet pan to get a little stale, at least overnight.
  • Make the dressing: Cook the bacon in a roomy saute pan until crispy. Allow to drain on paper towels.
  • Add the onions to the bacon fat in the pan, add the seasonings and cook slowly until the onions are wilted.
  • Add the apples and cook until the onions and apples are well caramelized.
  • Pour in the chicken stock to deglaze the pan then turn off the heat and allow the stock to cool a bit.
  • Heat the cream until small bubbles appear at the edges of the pan.
  • Whip the eggwhites until stiff.
  • Assemble the dressing: In a large bowl, combine the cornbread croutons with the bacon, apples, onion and chicken stock, and cream.
  • Fold in the eggwhites.
  • Press the dressing into a buttered large gratin or baking dish.
  • Bake for 55 minutes at 350. For a really fantastic finish, drizzle turkey drippings - any not used for gravy making - across the top. Raise the oven temperature to 425 and bake for 10 more minutes until crispy and a little blistered on the surface.