CHESTNUT, ONION AND CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F Prepare cornbread ahead of time from Perfect Cornbread Recipe#96862, or your own.
• Cut cornbread into 1/2" cubes.
• In 2 large shallow baking pans, bake in the middle of the oven until just dry, about 20 minutes.
• Using only white and pale green parts of the leeks, halve them lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2" thick pieces.
• In a large heavy skillet cook red onions, shallots, leeks, celery and herbs with salt and pepper to taste, in butter over moderate heat; stirring, until onion mixture is golden brown and softened-- about 25 minutes.
• If using canned chestnuts, rinse and drain.
• In a saucepan simmer vacuum-packed or canned chestnuts in 2 cups of chicken broth for 15 minutes.
• In a large bowl, toss together bread, onions, chestnut mixture and remaining 1 1/2 cups of broth, with salt and pepper to taste, and let cool completely.
• (Stuffing may be made ahead up to 1 day before and chilled, covered-- bring stuffing to room temperature before proceeding).
• To cook all or part of stuffing outside of poultry: In a shallow baking dish bake stuffing in preheated 325F oven 45 minutes.
• For moist stuffing, bake covered entire time; for less moist stuffing with a slightly crisp top, uncover halfway through baking time.
• Enjoy!