Roasted Tomato Cornbread Dressing
I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Dea from Enjoy Positive Living — her blog is featured on my blog list, and she graciously photographed a recent class I taught at Witch Well Church. Her images captured the spirit of the day beautifully. The dishes below, Watermelon Rind Slaw, Pan-Fried Yellow Squash with a maple glaze, French Cut Green Beans with Dill Butter, Salt Block Pickles, Watermelon Lemonade, Watermelon Pistachio Bread, and of course the Roasted Tomato Dressing, were featured in the class.
With an abundance of yellow squash and tomatoes in this month’s rescue boxes, I found myself at a crossroads. Should I stick with the familiar roasted squash dressing and give it a twist by incorporating yellow squash, or should I challenge myself with a roasted tomato dressing? While squash dressings are popular and often used, I wanted to explore the idea of bringing tomatoes into the mix while still honoring the traditional flavors that make this dish comforting.
This version accomplishes just that. By roasting the tomatoes until they are rich and slightly caramelized, then blending them with herbs like rosemary, the flavors come together beautifully in the dressing. The tomatoes add depth without overwhelming the dish, while the rosemary ties everything together, keeping it rooted in its classic origins.
Roasted Tomato Cornbread Dressing
Roasted Tomatoes:
1lb of Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp pink salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Bread Base:
3 cups cornbread, cubed and dried
1 cup French bread or homestyle biscuits, cubed and dried
Aromatics:
1/2 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 1/2 tbsp butter
Herbs and Spices:
3/4 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp finely minced dried rosemary
1 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp black pepper
pinch of nutmeg
Liquids:
1-1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, warmed
1 egg
olive oil for greasing the pan
Parmesan cheese (optional garnish)
To roast your tomatoes, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Toss the roughly chopped tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30minutes or until caramelized and slightly shriveled.
I make my cornbread at least two days before I want to make dressing. I cube it up as soon as it cools down. If it's still too moist after drying for a day on baking sheets, I toast the cornbread cubes in the oven. The French bread or biscuit cubes are there to soak up excess broth and keep the cornbread from getting soggy.
In a skillet, melt butter. Sauté onion and celery until softened, about 8 minutes. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine cornbread cubes and French bread, roasted tomatoes, sauteed onions and celery, and the herbs and spices. Pour in warm stock gradually, tossing until mixture is moist but not soggy. Stir in the egg. Transfer the mixture to a medium casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover, top with parmesan cheese if desired, and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp on top.
Small cheer and great welcome make a merry feast.
- William Shakespeare
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