Historical November–December 2008 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
For the past seven years, Dan and Anne Marie Lodholz of 57XX DeGiverville have presented their Thanksgiving dinner guests with a turkey stuffed with a savory cornbread, apple and sausage stuffing.
The Lodholz stuffing is admittedly involved – Dan makes his own sausage and also brines the turkey for 36 hours before stuffing and cooking it – but worth the effort. Anne Marie begins preparations two days ahead of time, making the cornbread (“Anne Marie is the baker,” says Dan) using a family recipe adapted from a Betty Crocker cookbook. “That recipe calls for vegetable oil but the batter is a bit richer and holds together if you use butter,” states Dan.
The cornbread is cubed and then set out to dry. “The texture of the stuffing is a lot better if you let it set out and get stale,” he adds. Once the cornbread is ready, Dan fixes the stuffing.
He adapted the recipe from one created by awardwinning chef Chris Schlesinger. “I increased the sausage by half a pound. Also, he [Schlesinger] used Half & Half; we use heavy cream.
If you’re going to use Half & Half, you might as well bump it up to cream. Plus, we usually have cream in the house.” All you gourmet chefs out there, if you’re looking for a delicious, aromatic stuffing, this recipe will make for a memorable holiday meal.
To be considered for future issues, contact Ligaya Figueras at figuerasl@ sbcglobal.net. Parker’s Pick We asked Jon Parker, resident of 60XX Kingsbury and proprietor of Parker’s Table Wine and Food Shop in Clayton, to suggest a wine pairing for Lodholz’s stuffing. Parker proposed two French wines: a white and a red. Domaine Des Cassagnoles 2007 Vin de Pays de Cutes de Gascogne ($11.99) is a clean, crisp white white from southwest France. Gerard Bertrand Corbi’res 2006 ($14.99) is a red blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourv’dre.
This wine is packed with plum and blackberry flavor and hints of spice and black pepper, listed as a “Best Value” by Wine Spectator (February, 2008). Nov. – Dec. 2008 The Times of Skinker DeBaliviere For the cornbread: 1 1/4 cup all-purpose, unbleached flour 3/4 cup cornmeal 1/4 cup sugar 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, or sea salt 1 cup milk (preferably whole) 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 1 egg Preheat oven to 400º. Mix together all ingredients, adding more milk if batter is too dry. Pour into a buttered 9-inch baking pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Allow cornbread to cool, then cut into 1-inch cubes and place cubes on a baking sheet to dry out. For the stuffing: 4 apples (preferably Granny Smith or tart baking apples), Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 1/2 lbs. sweet Italian sausage 2 sticks unsalted butter 4 small-to-medium red onions, finely chopped 8 stalks celery, finely chopped 1 cup dried cranberries 1 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup fresh sage, chopped Salt & pepper to taste (do not add salt if stuffing a brined turkey) If cornbread needs more time to dry out, place in a 250º oven for about 20 minutes or until dry, then set aside. Peel and chop apples, then place in a bowl. Add enough water to cover plus lemon juice and set aside. Brown the sausage in a large saute pan over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Next, add butter to the saute pan and melt, while scraping any sausage bits that may have stuck to the pan. Increase heat to mediumhigh, add onions and celery; cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Drain the apples and add them to the pan. Add cranberries and stir to combine. Cook for about 5 more minutes. Add the cream and cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Stir in sage and remove from heat. Transfer to a large bowl, add cornbread and sausage, stirring to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool completely before stuffing the turkey. Notes: -For best results, make the cornbread a day or two before serving. -Stuffing can be prepared up to 2 days ahead of time when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. -If not using for stuffing a turkey, place stuffing in a deep baking dish, cover, and bake in a 375º oven for 35-40 minutes.
Original photograph caption
Dan Lodholz, whose stuffing recipe appears in this issue.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, November–December 2008.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Parker sidebar prints white white and wine names Cutes, Corbi’re s and Mourv’dre with malformed accents; source forms retained without guessing.
Original source: SD_Times2008_11.pdf, printed page(s) 7; PDF page(s) 7.
