Oyster Stuffing with Squash and Sausage
Makes a 9x13” dish
Ingredients:
- Half a loaf of sourdough bread, torn by hand into irregular 1-inch pieces (about 10-12 cups total)
- One loaf of cornbread (8x8 inches or similar; from your favorite box mix), crumbled (about 8 cups total)
- 6-8 ounces chorizo or smoked sausage (such as kielbasa), diced into roughly ½-inch pieces (Olympia Provisions is an excellent choice)
- 1 small red kuri, red sunshine or kabocha squash, peeled and diced into roughly ¾-inch pieces (about 4 cups total)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups (16 ounces) broth or water
- A few sprigs each of sage, thyme and/or rosemary
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or a pinch of minced fresh hot chile pepper (such as a serrano or a thai bird chile)
- Olive oil, salt & pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 3-ounce tin of smoked oysters, or ¼ lb smoked oysters, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 cups (1 pint) fresh oysters, any size, liquid reserved, oysters cut into ½-inch pieces
Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
On a sheet tray, scatter the torn sourdough, drizzle it generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. On a second sheet tray, scatter the crumbled cornbread. Toast them both in the oven until crisp and golden, checking frequently, 10-25 minutes (the sourdough will likely toast faster than the cornbread).
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, saute the garlic in a little olive oil just until fragrant. Add the stock (or water), the herb sprigs, and the optional cayenne or chile. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a bare simmer and cover.
While the broth is simmering, in a very large cast iron skillet, add a glug of olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) then add the chorizo (or smoked sausage) and the squash. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat until the sausage is browned and the squash is golden and tender, stirring occasionally, adding a little water if needed to prevent burning. Once the squash is done, remove the pan from heat and stir in the minced sage.
Remove the broth from the heat and discard the sprigs of herbs. In a small bowl or measuring pitcher, whisk two eggs and slowly whisk in about 1 cup of the hot broth (this will prevent the eggs from curdling when you whisk them into the rest of the hot broth). Add the chopped smoked oysters and the chopped fresh oysters plus their liquid to the broth in the saucepan, then stir the egg mixture back in.
In a 9x13-inch baking pan (or the same very large cast iron skillet you cooked the sausage and squash in), scatter about a third of the toasted bread and squash, then use a slotted spoon to scatter about a third of the oysters on top. Repeat with two more layers, then pour the broth mixture evenly over the top. Press to make sure the bread is saturated.
Cover the pan with a buttered or oiled piece of foil (butter/oil side down) and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes longer, until the top looks crisp and golden. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.