Photo: Sunset Magazine

Southwest cornbread and chorizo dressing

Not your mama's Stove-Top dressing! Looks complicated (not really) and time-consuming (not too bad), but it can mostly be made ahead, then quickly assembled and baked.

This recipe won "Best Dressing" in the Sunset magazine recipe contest for 2005. It's easy to see why!

  • 2 boxes corn muffin mix
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 large eggs

[Do ahead]
Mix until blended but still slightly lumpy. Pour into a buttered 9x13-inch baking pan (or spray with non-stick spray). Bake at 400°F until top is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cornbread cool in pan on rack. If doing ahead, wrap air-tight and store at room temperature.

  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled and seeded
  • 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar, firmly-packed
  • 1/2 cup water

[Do ahead]
Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. Put in medium saucepan over high heat with water and brown sugar. When water comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until squash is tender, about 8-10 minutes. Uncover and cook until most of the water has evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

  • 1 lb chorizo sausage

[Do ahead]
Squeeze sausage from casing into 12-in frying pan over medium-high heat. Break up into chunks with spoon, stirring often. Cook until browned and crumbly, about 7 to 10 minutes. Pour sausage into a wire strainer to drain and discard the fat. Don't wash the pan!

  • 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
  • 1 cup fresh fennel head, diced
  • 1 lb mushrooms, sliced

[Do ahead]
Add butter to the frying pan used for the chorizo over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and stir frequently until the vegetables begin to soften, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and stir until limp, another 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves
  • 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • squash, cooked earlier
  • chorizo, cooked and drained earlier

[Do ahead]
Add the herbs to the vegetables in the frying pan. Stir in the squash and chorizo. If doing ahead, put in a dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • chorizo mixture (brought to room temperature if done ahead)
  • corn bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Whisk together eggs and broth in a large bowl. Add the chorizo mixture and stir to mix. Add the cornbread cubes and stir in gently to combine. Scrape dressing into a buttered 9x13-inch baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350°F about 50 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes to brown the top.

Servings: 10-12 hungry lumberjacks; several more than that ordinary people

Credits: Sunset Magazine, November 2005, attributed to Victoria Johnson of Gilbert, AZ.