Madame Vice President's Cornbread Stuffing
Today is Inauguration Day!! In honor of our newly elected Madam Vice President, Kamala Harris we cooked one of her favorite dishes!
+ Chef Christa's own lavender-scented lamb lollipops with an apple chutney - enjoy!
Ingredients
2 8-ounce packages of cornbread mix
1 pound spicy pork sausage
2 onions, chopped
2 apples, cored and chopped
4 celery stalks, diced
¾ cups of chicken broth
¼ cups unsalted butter, melted
¼ cups fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons sage
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon rosemary
salt & pepper
Get Cooking
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13 pan with butter and line with parchment paper, greasing that as well, leaving enough overhang on the long sides to serve as a sling later.
In a large bowl, whisk together the corn muffin mix, milk, and eggs — the batter will be slightly lumpy. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center, comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack (keep the oven on) and cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then lift the slab out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Finely crumble the cornbread into a very large bowl.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula, until no longer pink, 5 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the bowl with the cornbread crumbs, leaving the fat behind in the skillet.
Add the onions, apples and celery to the skillet, still over medium-high. Cook, stirring from time to time, until softened but still somewhat crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to the bowl with the cornbread crumbs and sausage. Add the broth, melted butter, parsley, sage, thyme and rosemary, and gently mix to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer the dressing to the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, uncovered, until the top is lightly browned and crusty. Serve warm.
Lamb Lollipops
Ingredients
Apple Chutney
• 1 teaspoon organic canola oil
• 1/2 cup yellow onions chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
• 3 cups peeled and diced apples
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
Get Cooking
1. Bring a 3QT pot to medium heat with oil. Saute onions and ginger a couple of minutes, until softened and fragrant.
2. Add apples, apple cider vinegar, agave syrup, cinnamon, curry powder, and salt to pot. Turn heat to low. Stir and cover for 12 to 15 minutes, until the apples have softened and are starting to break down a little.
3. If there is excess liquid, take the lid off of the pot and allow the apple chutney to cook for a couple of minutes more.
4. Remove from heat & serve right away. Or put the apple chutney in a covered container and move to the refrigerator.
Lamb Lollipops
Ingredients
24 Hour marinade:
5 lavender sprigs, 3 fresh thyme sprigs, 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
kosher salt to taste (literally)
2 tablespoons fresh garlic
2 tablespoons onion powder
1/2 cup Cabernet wine
Black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons Herbs de Provence
Rack of Lamb
3 racks of lamb frenched, cut into chops & trimmed of all but thin layer of fat
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper or Kosher salt
3 cloves of garlic minced in the pan
1 teaspoon rosemary fresh, chopped in the pan
1 teaspoon thyme fresh, chopped in the pan
¼ cup olive oil
1 lemon cut into wedges
Get Cooking
Combine the above marinade ingredients in a bowl with chops. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours but overnight is preferable.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add 9 chops to skillet; cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare.
Transfer to platter; cover with foil. Repeat with remaining oil and chops.
Garnish the platter with rosemary sprigs and lemon, if desired.
