Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Fennel

By VerneJ

Ingredients

• 6 cups cubed day-old cornbread (about 15 oz)
• 1 lb fresh mild Italian sausage (casings removed)
• 1 chopped fennel bulb
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
• 3 tsp kosher salt (divided)
• 1 1/2 tsp black pepper (divided)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 large onion)
• 1 cup chopped celery (about 3 stems)
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 chopped Honeycrisp apple
• (chopped)
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp pure maple syrup

Details

Level of difficulty Average
Cost Average budget

Preparation

Step 1

Spread cornbread on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Place in oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Bake until cornbread is golden brown, about 15 minutes after oven preheats.

Step 2

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high. Cook sausage, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer sausage to a large bowl, reserving drippings in skillet. Add fennel, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel is tender and slightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add fennel to bowl with sausage.

Step 3

Add onion, celery, garlic, 1 teaspoon butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 12-15 minutes. Add to bowl with fennel and sausage. Add apple, thyme and 1 tablespoon butter to skillet; cook, stirring often, until apples are slightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Add apple mixture and toasted cornbread to sausage mixture in bowl.

Step 4

Whisk together chicken broth, eggs, remaining 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pour over cornbread mixture in bowl and toss gently to combine. Let stand 10 minutes.

Step 5

Grease a 13x9" baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter. Spread cornbread mixture in prepared dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Remove foil; dot dressing with remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Return to oven; bake until golden brown, 25 minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup before serving.