Oyster Stuffing with Squash and Sausage

Smoked Oyster Stuffing with Squash and Sausage

Makes a 9x13” dish, serves 8-10 as part of a meal or 6 as main dish
Prep time: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Bake time + cooling time: about 1 hour

Ingredients: 

• Half a loaf of sourdough bread, torn by hand into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups total)
• One 8x8-inch loaf of cornbread (storebought or from your favorite 12-16 ounce box mix), crumbled into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups total)
• Olive oil, salt and pepper
• 3 cups chicken or turkey broth
• Optional: up to 2 cups (1 pint) raw oysters, any size, including liquid
• 8 to 12 ounces of smoked sausage, diced into roughly ½-inch pieces (we love the smoked sausage from Tri City Meats, which we feature in our summertime Seafood Boil kit. But kielbasa, andouille, chorizo, smoked chicken sausage…pretty much any kind of smoked sausage you can find…will be extremely tasty!)
• 4 cups cubed winter squash pieces (kabocha, red kuri and red sunshine are our favorites – butternut works great too!) or peeled, cubed sweet potato
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Spiva Cooking Bird Blend (or your favorite seasoning blend)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves
• Optional: a pinch of cayenne or chili flakes
• 1 tin of smoked oysters, or ¼ lb smoked oysters, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 2 eggs

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and drizzle a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.

In a saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. Add the shucked oysters (if using) and poach until the gills are ruffled and the oysters are cooked through. Lift them out with a slotted spoon, then chop into bite-size pieces (if they’re large) or leave them whole (if you prefer them that way). Set the oysters aside and keep the broth warm.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet. Add a glug of olive oil, then the sausage and squash. Saute until the squash is tender and golden (lowering the heat or adding a splash of broth if it starts to burn or stick), about 10-12 minutes total. When the squash is tender, stir in the minced garlic, sage, Bird Blend seasoning, and a pinch of cayenne or chili flakes (if you like it spicy) and cook for a few minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in the smoked oysters. Taste and add salt if needed, but keep in mind that the broth will also bring some salt to the final dish.

In a small bowl or measuring pitcher, whisk two eggs until blended, then 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). Whisk the eggs and remaining broth together.

In the baking dish, scatter about a third of the sourdough and cornbread pieces, then a third of the squash mix, then a third of the poached oysters (if using). Repeat with two more layers. Pour the broth mixture evenly over the top. Press down gently to make sure the bread is saturated. If the mixture seems dry, add a little more broth or water. (If you have a large enough mixing bowl, you can also toss everything together before spreading it out in the baking dish.)

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.