Yam and Cornbread Stuffing

By Lea Bergen

Cornbread:

1 c yams, roasted, skinned and chopped (about one medium yam)

4 eggs

1.5 c buttermilk

2 1/3 c yellow cornmeal

1 c flour

one-half c sugar

1 T baking powder

1.5 t kosher salt

.5 t t baking soda

one-half c cold butter, cut in pieces

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 13 x 9 baking pan.

Combine yams, eggs and buttermilk in a bowl and mix well.

Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Add butter and pulse about 10 seconds. Add egg mixture and pulse till you have batter, about 10 seconds.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. For dressing, cool and cube.

Dressing:

one recipe cubed cornbread

one half loaf sourdough bread, cubed

1 c diced onion

1 c chopped carrot

2 T butter or equivalent

2 c roasted, skinned chopped yams (about two yams)

1 c roasted pecans

1 T thyme

1 T rosemary

1 t kosher salt

1 t pepper

1 c veggie or other broth

1 c half-and-half

Sautee onion and carrot in butter till soft, about five minutes. Add yams, pecans, herbs, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with bread cubes and liquids. Transfer to a baking dish or casserole; cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 15 minutes till top is toasted.