President Clinton’s Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing

This recipe for Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing was prepared during the holidays at the White House in 1996 when President Bill Clinton was president. It’s a spice-packed stuffing with ingredients you’d never thought belonged in a stuffing, but now wouldn’t have any other way. 

According to the White House archives, this dish was prepared by White House Chefs Walter Scheib III and Roland Mesnier.

 

Not a fan of Chorizo? No problem. Just replace it with a variety of sausage you prefer. That’s what I did and it still tasted spectacular. This stuffing has a bit of a Spanish flair with the prominent taste of cumin. It’s not a spice I would have even fathomed putting in a stuffing, but it was a pleasant surprise. So were the butternut squash and sundried tomatoes… both tasty additions I’d never seen before in a stuffing. Try it topped with this butternut squash salsa and you’ll wonder why you didn’t know about this combo sooner!

 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 tsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c. butternut squash, diced
1/4 c. carrots, diced
1/4 c. sundried tomatoes, diced
1/4 c. Chorizo sausage (or other sausage variety), cooked, drained, and crumbled
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbs. white bread crumbs
1/2 c. stale cornbread, crumbled
1 egg, beaten
1-2 oz. turkey or chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

 

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DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to  350 degrees. Heat olive oil in pan. Saute garlic until soft. Add squash and carrots, sauteing until tender. Add cumin, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and warm but do not overcook. Set aside to cool. Combine cornbread, bread crumbs and sausage in a bowl. Add vegetable mixture and, using two forks, toss together. Add egg. Toss to mix. Add small amounts of stock, tossing mixture to achieve stuffing consistency. Bake in covered dish in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Optional preparation: Spread stuffing onto turkey scallopini and roll up, tucking edge under roll. Roast in 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Slice and serve.