Asia Mei of Moonshine 152
When it comes to holiday feasting, Moonshine 152 chef/owner Asia Mei doesn’t waste any time with dry turkey. “All I ever really care about is stuffing, sides and gravy,” she says, sharing a recipe for the first with a layered and satisfying flavor profile. The cornbread brings the sweet, the shiitake mushrooms provide an earthiness and the Chinese sausage carries a salty-fatty-umami combo. “All of these slightly different takes on what would otherwise be a plain sausage-mushroom bake come together to make a more memorable, completely approachable Asian-influenced item.”
· ¼ pound butter
· 3 large shallots, diced
· 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
· 1 teaspoon chili flakes
· 1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
· 1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
· 2 tablespoons fresh sage chiffonade
· 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
· 1 cup Chinese sausage, diced
· 1 quart shiitake mushroom caps, trimmed and sliced
· 1 quart fennel, sliced
· ½ cup white wine or sherry
· 3 quarts day-old cornbread, cubed
· 2 cups chicken stock
· Salt and pepper to taste
– Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat. Combine the shallots, fennel seeds, chili flakes, thyme, rosemary and sage. Stir until the shallots are translucent. Add the garlic and a couple pinches of salt. Continue to mix until the garlic gets slightly toasted.
– Add the sausage, shiitake mushrooms and fennel to the pot, and raise to medium heat, stirring occasionally until the fennel and mushrooms are cooked through, with the fennel developing a caramelized color. Add the wine to deglaze the pot, and reduce the liquid until it is almost dry.
– Mix the cornbread, chicken stock and salt and pepper to taste. Combine everything to evenly coat the cubes of bread with vegetables, sausage and herbs. (Additional stock or extra butter may be needed to saturate the cornbread pieces.)
– Serve straight out of the pot. To reheat later in the day, spread the stuffing evenly into a pan and heat at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until the top is toasted.
Taking Sides
Local toques talk everything but turkey, sharing updated versions of classic holiday fare.
By Meghan Kavanaugh | Photo Credit: Adam Detour; Food and Prop Styling: John Carafoli / Anchor Artists; Props: Mary Rose Antiques | Nov. 20, 2015
Cornbread Stuffing with Chinese Sausage, Shiitake Mushrooms and Caramelized Fennel
Asia Mei of Moonshine 152
When it comes to holiday feasting, Moonshine 152 chef/owner Asia Mei doesn’t waste any time with dry turkey. “All I ever really care about is stuffing, sides and gravy,” she says, sharing a recipe for the first with a layered and satisfying flavor profile. The cornbread brings the sweet, the shiitake mushrooms provide an earthiness and the Chinese sausage carries a salty-fatty-umami combo. “All of these slightly different takes on what would otherwise be a plain sausage-mushroom bake come together to make a more memorable, completely approachable Asian-influenced item.”
· ¼ pound butter
· 3 large shallots, diced
· 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
· 1 teaspoon chili flakes
· 1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
· 1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
· 2 tablespoons fresh sage chiffonade
· 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
· 1 cup Chinese sausage, diced
· 1 quart shiitake mushroom caps, trimmed and sliced
· 1 quart fennel, sliced
· ½ cup white wine or sherry
· 3 quarts day-old cornbread, cubed
· 2 cups chicken stock
· Salt and pepper to taste
– Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat. Combine the shallots, fennel seeds, chili flakes, thyme, rosemary and sage. Stir until the shallots are translucent. Add the garlic and a couple pinches of salt. Continue to mix until the garlic gets slightly toasted.
– Add the sausage, shiitake mushrooms and fennel to the pot, and raise to medium heat, stirring occasionally until the fennel and mushrooms are cooked through, with the fennel developing a caramelized color. Add the wine to deglaze the pot, and reduce the liquid until it is almost dry.
– Mix the cornbread, chicken stock and salt and pepper to taste. Combine everything to evenly coat the cubes of bread with vegetables, sausage and herbs. (Additional stock or extra butter may be needed to saturate the cornbread pieces.)
– Serve straight out of the pot. To reheat later in the day, spread the stuffing evenly into a pan and heat at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until the top is toasted.
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