Home Cooks - E. Patrick Johnson's Spicy Cornbread Stuffing

Our Home Cook for November is a Professor at Northwestern University and just so happens to be the domestic partner of ABC 7 News producer Stephen Lewis! Besides his passion for teaching performance studies and African American Studies, he also has a passion for cooking!

He and Stephen are known for their Dessert Party in December which started as a small gathering in 1990 with 3 desserts and 10 people and has grown into an event with over 300 and 75 desserts!

Patrick also has a flair for savory foods, so today he is showing us his Spicy Cornbread Stuffing - just in time for Thanksgiving.

Our Friends at Alessi sent Patrick and a lucky member of our studio audience home with a gift basket of goodies. Visit their website for all the Alessi products: http://alessifoods.com/

For more information about Kids Fight Cancer: http://kidsfightcancer.org/

SPICY CORNBREAD STUFFING

Makes about 10 cups, enough for 1 16-18 pound turkey

3/4 cup pine nuts

1 Jalapeno cornbread, day old (recipe follows)

1 pound cured chorizo sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 small onions, coarsely chopped

6 ribs celery, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup homemade chicken or turkey stock, or low sodium canned

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 bunch cilantro leaves, washed well, dreid and roughly chopped

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pine nuts in one layer on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and fragrant, 2 - 4 minutes. Transfer to a shallow bowl, and set aside. Cut cornbread into inch cubes, and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake, shaking periodically, until golden brown on the edges, about 20 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and set aside.

2. In a food processor, pulse sausage until coarsely chopped; do not over process, set aside.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add celery and garlic and cook until celery is soft, about 5 minutes more. Add sausage and pine nuts, and cook for 1 minutes more. Add stock, and cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes.

4. Pour sausage mixture over cornbread, and mix well. Add butter and cilantro, and mix to combine. Let cool completely before stuffing turkey.

JALAPENO CORNBREAD

Makes 1 eight inch square

This cornbread, if used for stuffing should be made one day ahead.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup buttermilk

2 medium jalapenos, diced with seeds

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup sugar

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly butter an 8-inch square pan. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and pepper.

3. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, jalapenos, egg, sugar and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Add to dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.