Sides › Oyster Cornbread Stuffing

• 12 fresh oysters
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 Granny Smith apples, diced
• 4 cups crouton-shaped dry bread
• 2 cups cornbread, crumbled
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 tsp fresh or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• pinch of salt
• 3-5 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 to 1 cup un-oaked white wine (suggestion:  chardonnay)

Special Equipment

• 8" x 8" glass baking dish
• foil

Prepare the Dry Ingredients

1. Dice onions, celery, carrots and apples and set aside
2. In a bowl mix croutons and cornbread
3. Add the onion, apples, parsley and thyme

Make the Juice

1. Melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter in skillet on medium-high heat
2. Saute onion, carrots and celery until translucent
3. Remove from heat and transfer vegetables to bowl
4. In the same pan, melt 1 tbsp unsalted butter
5. Add 1/2 to 1 cup un-oaked white wine and bring to full simmer

Poach the Oysters

1. Check raw oysters carefully for pieces of shell
2. Pour oysters in their "liquor" into hot butter-wine juice and bring to a boil
3. Stir in a pinch of salt
4. Poach oysters for 2 minutes or until they curl up
5. Remove oysters and reduce the butter-wine-oyster juice by 1/2 to make a golden gravy

Assemble & Bake the Oyster Cornbread Stuffing

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Pour juice over the dry ingredients
3. Add sauteed vegetables
4. Add the oysters
5. Toss the stuffing, careful not to break the oysters
6. Add water or stock/broth if stuffing seems dry
7. Pack stuffing lightly into baking dish
8. Cover top with foil and press around top of stuffing
9. Bake for 45 minutes

You can put the stuffing in the oven at whatever temperature other dishes are baking -- just keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn