Cornbread Stuffing with Cotija, Figs and Sage

When I set myself upon a Mexican menu, I knew that all of those cornbread stuffing recipes I’d seen over the years would finally have their day in my Cornbread Stuffing with Cotija, Figs and Sage. I started with a favorite cornbread recipe and subbed sage for rosemary to make it a little more Thanksgiving in nature. Then I diced it and toasted it. Finally, it was time to get down to the stuffing. (That said, you don’t need to wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy this amazing cornbread; just keep in mind the preheat and butter the pan trick works like a charm for that crunchy, crusty outside to the cornbread). This sweet, savory Cornbread Stuffing with Cotija, Figs and Sage soaked up the mole sauce like a charm. And it paired perfectly with the tart and tangy cranberry relish.

1 ½ cups yellow stone-ground cornmeal
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons chopped sage leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 large eggs
8 small, plump dried Black Mission figs, diced
½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup pine nuts; divided
1 cup celery
1 cup onion
1 cup fennel
3 cups vegetable stock
butter

Preheat the oven to 425° F. Heat a 9- or 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a regular cake pan (that’s what I do) in the oven for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, eggs, sugar, sage and salt. Add the baking powder. Add the cornmeal and flour, whisking in the buttermilk as needed to get it to incorporate. Add the rest of the buttermilk, mixing as little as possible. Fold in the figs and feta. Remove the skillet from the oven. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom and halfway up the side. Scrape the batter into the skillet and lightly smooth the top. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the corn bread springs back when lightly pressed in the center. Invert the corn bread onto a rack and let cool for about 10 minutes, then turn it right side up. Reduce oven temperature to 350° F. Once completely cooled, either dice into ½ inch cubes or just crumble onto a baking sheet. Toast at 350° F for 20 minutes, tossing now and then. Since there’s cheese, store in the refrigerator if you’re making ahead. Dice the celery, onion, and fennel. Sauté in a large stock pot with olive oil over medium low heat until very soft. Add ½ cup pine nuts. Toss in the cornbread. Slowly add the stock. You may opt to use less than the full 3 cups. You want it to be damp, but not wet. Butter a large baking dish. Add the stuffing to the baking dish. Top with remaining pine nuts. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes as long as you’re starting from room temperature. If you made ahead and it’s not quite at room temperature, you may want to cover with foil and cook it for 20-30, then remove foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes.