Corn Bread Dressing With Ham, Fennel, And Carrots

By á-174942

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter - (1 1/2 sticks)
• 1 1/2 cups cubed (1/4") Black Forest ham - (8 oz)
• 4 cups chopped onions
• 3 cups chopped fresh fennel bulbs - (from 3 med) fronds reserved
• 2 cups chopped peeled carrots
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• Roasted Red Pepper Corn Bread (see recipe), crumbled
• 6 cups cubed (1/2") crustless French bread (from a 1-lb loaf)
• 3 1/4 cups low-salt chicken broth more if needed
• Salt to taste
• Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
• 5 large eggs beaten to blend

Details

Servings 16

Preparation

Step 1

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add ham and sauté until browned, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer ham to extra-large bowl. Add onions and next 6 ingredients to drippings in pot. Cover and cook until vegetables begin to brown, stirring often, about 15 minutes; add to ham. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Reheat before continuing.)

Stir all bread into ham mixture; add 3 1/4 cups broth. Season stuffing to taste with salt and pepper; mix in eggs.

To bake stuffing in turkey: Loosely fill main cavity and neck cavity of turkey with stuffing. Add enough broth to remaining stuffing to moisten slightly (1/4 cup to 3/4 cup, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Generously butter baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into prepared dish. Cover dish with buttered foil, buttered-side down. Bake stuffing in dish -- alongside turkey or while turkey is resting -- until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover stuffing in dish. Bake until top of stuffing is slightly crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

To bake stuffing in dish: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter 15- by 10- by 2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough extra broth to stuffing to moisten (3/4 cup to 1 1/4 cups). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered-side down. Bake until heated through, about 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 20 minutes longer.

This recipe yields 16 servings.