Info
- Cook time: 50 minutes
- Total time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 12 servings
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 cup celery, finely diced
- 1 cup carrots, finely diced
- 4 cups homemade cornbread croutons (recipe below) or store-bought
- 4 cups seasoned croutons, store-bought
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 quart chicken stock
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 large eggs, beaten
For the Cornbread Croutons
- 5 tablespoons coconut oil, melted, plus extra for greasing the baking sheet
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 1 cup almond milk or regular milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup applesauce, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup sorghum (see Cook's Note)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. Cook the onion, celery, and carrots, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl. Add the cornbread croutons, seasoned croutons, thyme, rosemary, sage, and cayenne (if using). Pour in the chicken stock and stir well. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then mix in the beaten eggs. Stir until everything is evenly combined, then transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Bake until the top is golden brown and the dressing is puffy but still moist, 45 to 55 minutes.
- Raise the oven temperature to 375°F.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil to a 6-inch cast-iron skillet. Place the skillet in the oven and heat until very hot, 6 to 8 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. In a separate bowl, combine the almond milk, applesauce, sorghum, egg, and 2 tablespoons coconut oil. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Fold gently until just combined.
- Carefully take the hot skillet out of the oven and pour in the batter. Return the skillet to the oven and bake until the cornbread is golden with a crisp crust, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool, then cut into 1-inch pieces (you should have about 8 cups).
- Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.
- Lightly grease a baking sheet with coconut oil and spread the cornbread pieces in a single layer. Handle them gently—the cornbread is fragile. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons coconut oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and crunchy, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet before using.
Notes
Sorghum syrup comes from the sweet juice of the sorghum plant, a type of cereal grass. It is a popular sweetener in the South for baked goods. Look for it at natural food stores or specialty online retailers.
