Recipe: Cornbread Stuffing with Kale

Cornbread Stuffing with Kale
This recipe is an updated version of a classic southern stuffing.

1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 1/4 cups finely chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1 cup finely diced celery (about 2 stalks)
2 cups chopped fresh small-leaf kale (or 1 10-oz. package frozen)*
1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, or to taste
1 tsp. dried cilantro, or to taste
1/8 tsp. Liquid Smoke, or to taste (optional)
6 cups crumbled stale corn bread (or commercially prepared corn bread stuffing mix*)
1/2 cup finely chopped canned green chiles
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts or pecans
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cups (about) canned nonfat, reduced-sodium chicken broth, heated until hot
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4-9 whole kale leaves, well washed, for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Heat a large, non-stick pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Place oil in pan and heat until very hot. Add onion and celery and saut until onion is transparent and mixture is golden. Add kale and stir until wilted (if using fresh) or until hot (if using frozen). Stir in parsley, thyme, cilantro and Liquid Smoke (if using). Cook mixture until kale is bright green. Remove from heat.

Place crumbled stale cornbread (or cornbread stuffing mix) in large bowl. Stir in vegetable mixture, chiles and nuts until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Tossing gently (so stuffing does not get compacted) and constantly (so liquid is evenly distributed), add enough hot broth until mixture is moist but not wet. (Depending on type of stuffing mix used, additional broth may be needed.) Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. If stuffing seems dry, add more hot broth, if desired.

To bake stuffing, lightly coat a shallow, 9 x 13" baking pan with canola oil spray; transfer stuffing to pan. Using canola oil spray, lightly coat the dull side of a sheet of foil large enough to seal pan. Cover and seal baking pan with foil (shiny side out) and bake about 1 hour. If a less moist stuffing with a slightly crisp top is desired, remove foil halfway through baking time.

Serve immediately or store, tightly covered, in refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat chilled stuffing before serving. When ready to serve, remove stems from whole kale leaves and arrange along sides of serving dish. Spoon stuffing in center of dish so it is slightly mounded.

*Two 8-oz. boxes of a commercial cornbread mix may be needed to produce enough cornbread. Crumble baked cornbread and allow crumbs to dry completely before measuring. If using fresh kale, wash well and discard stems before chopping. If using frozen kale, defrost and squeeze out excess moisture before chopping.

Nutritional Information:
Makes 7 cups of stuffing or 14 one-half cup servings. Per serving: about 153 calories, 4 g. total fat (less than 1 g. saturated fat), 23 g. carbohydrates, 4 g. protein, 2 g. dietary fiber, 607 mg. sodium. (Calculations based on use of a commercial cornbread mix with 2 cups milk and 2 eggs.)

Source: American Institute Cancer Research