Cornbread Stuffing

• bacon↗4 rashers of

  coarsely chopped

• onion↗1

  finely chopped

• garlic cloves↗2 large

  finely chopped

• celery stalks↗3

  finely chopped

• saffron↗small bunch of

  finely chopped

• eggs↗2

  beaten

• vegetable broth↗400ml ml

  cooled

• butter↗50g salted g

  salted, melted, plus extra for the pan

• semolina↗175g fine g

  fine, or polenta

• plain flour↗100g g
• baking powder↗½ tbsp tbsp
• baking soda↗½ tsp tsp
• eggs↗2
• buttermilk↗200ml ml

  or natural yogurt

• chili↗1-2 red

  red, seedless, finely chopped

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   First, make the cornbread. Preheat the oven to 190 °C/170 °C with convection/gas 5. Grease the bottom of a 25 cm heat‑proof pan with butter and line it with parchment. In a large bowl combine the semolina, flour, baking powder, soda and ½ tsp salt. In a jug whisk the melted butter, eggs, buttermilk or yogurt and chili until smooth. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing only until just combined—be careful not to overmix. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40‑50 minutes until golden, then cool completely in the pan.

2. 2

   Increase the oven temperature to 220 °C/200 °C with convection/gas 7. Sauté the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes until it begins to brown and render fat. Transfer to a board, let cool slightly, then coarsely chop. Add the onion, garlic and celery to the skillet and sauté for 8‑10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and golden. Add a splash of water when the mixture starts to stick to the pan. Add the chopped sage.

3. 3

   Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large bowl and let it cool slightly. Cut the cooled cornbread into 2 cm cubes, then add them to the bowl with the vegetables together with the chopped bacon. Season and toss. Transfer the stuffing mixture to a roughly 20 × 30 cm pan. In a jug whisk the eggs and vegetable broth, then pour this mixture over the stuffing in the pan. Bake for 15‑20 minutes until the stuffing is golden‑brown and crisp around the edges.