Thanksgiving Panzanella

Name: Thanksgiving Panzanella
Ingredients: 3/4 cup high quality butter (such as Kerrygold or Plugra); 1 large sweet onion, diced; 3 -4 medium apples, Granny Smith or 3 -4 medium apples, Honeycrisp, cored and diced; 1 lb sage sausage (casings removed if necessary) or 1 lb black pepper breakfast sausage (casings removed if necessary); 3 cups crumbled moist cornbread (can be purchased or thrown together with Jiffy); 3 cups cubed French bread; 3 cups cubed whole grain boule; 2 teaspoons fresh thyme; 1 teaspoon fresh sage leaf, powder; 2 cups dried cherries; grey sea salt; freshly ground telicherry black pepper; 2 cups lightly crushed pecan halves, toasted; 1 bunch fresh sage leaf, picked through for quality; good quality olive oil, to taste, as needed; 1 cup good quality chicken stock, can be added to aid in moisture as needed; brown-butter-fried sage leaf, for garnish (optional)

17 ingredients

8 steps

Ingredients

3/4 cup high quality butter (such as Kerrygold or Plugra)
1 large sweet onion, diced
3 -4 medium apples, Granny Smith or 3 -4 medium apples, Honeycrisp, cored and diced
1 lb sage sausage (casings removed if necessary) or 1 lb black pepper breakfast sausage (casings removed if necessary)
3 cups crumbled moist cornbread (can be purchased or thrown together with Jiffy)
3 cups cubed French bread
3 cups cubed whole grain boule
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 teaspoon fresh sage leaf, powder
2 cups dried cherries
grey sea salt
freshly ground telicherry black pepper
2 cups lightly crushed pecan halves, toasted
1 bunch fresh sage leaf, picked through for quality
good quality olive oil, to taste, as needed
1 cup good quality chicken stock, can be added to aid in moisture as needed
brown-butter-fried sage leaf, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1

Melt butter over medium heat in a cast iron skillet. Add onions and cook over low-medium heat, about 30 minutes, or until the onions go nearly perfectly transparent. Do not get color on the onions. Remove from pan and save.
2

Add 1-2 T of the butter from the onions to the skillet and cook the apples over medium heat until they have taken on a light golden color and have become fork-tender. Remove and add to the onions.
3

Cook the sausage over medium until browned, using the back of a wood spoon to break the sausage up as it cooks. Remove cooked sausage and any fat which rendered out and add to the onions/apples.
4

In a large mixing bowl, combine the french loaf and whole grain cubed breads. Using your hands, loosely crumble the moist cornbread and mix all three to incorporate.
5

Add the onions, apples, sausage, butter, and reserved fat. Mix bowl contents to evenly moisten all components.
6

Season with fresh thyme, sage leaf powder, grey sea salt, fresh black pepper, olive oil, and mix. If the panzanella is still too dry, slowly incorporate up to 1 C of good chicken stock. This will vary greatly depending on how dried the bread cubes are. Work a little at a time!
7

Finally, mix in toasted, lightly crushed pecan halves, and garnish top with brown-butter fried sage leaves.
8

Serve warm (or cold the next day; who doesn't love Thanksgiving leftovers?!) and enjoy!