Barley-Corn Dressing with Sausage

Categories: Dressings- Stuffing- Gravies

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups (or 12 oz. pkg.) pearl barley, rinsed
• 6 cups regular-strength chicken broth
• 3/4 lb. bulk pork sausage
• 1 Tbsp. olive or salad oil
• 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• 2 to 3 large (about 2 lb. total) onions, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh or 1 1/2 tsp. dry rubbed sage
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 5 medium-size ears), or 2 pkg. (10 oz. each) frozen corn kernels
• fresh sage leaves (optional)
• salt

Directions

1. Bring barley and broth to boil in a 4 to 5 quart pan on high heat; cover and simmer until barley is tender to bite, about 10 minutes. Drain; save broth.Set broth and barley aside.

2. Rinse and dry pan; add sausage and crumble over medium-high heat; stir often until richly browned, about 10 minutes. Spoon meat onto paper towels.

3. Add oil, butter, onion, rubbed sage, and pepper to pan. Stir often until onion is tinged with brown and sweet-tasting, about 40 minutes. Add corn and stir often for 5 minutes; add barley and sausage.

4. Pour dressing into a shallow 9 × 13 inch casserole and add 1 cup reserved broth (save extra broth for other uses). Cover dish snugly with foil. If made ahead, chill up until next day.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven until hot in center, about 40 minutes ( 1 hour if cold). Uncover and garnish with sage leaves. Add salt to taste.

6. Barley-Corn Dressing with Prosciutto:

7. Omit sausage from above recipe. Use 1/4 lb. thinly sliced prosciutto, slivered. Stir often in pan over medium-heat with an added 2 tsp. olive oil until meat is browned and crisp 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside. Mix 1/2 the prosciutto with dressing. Sprinkle remaining prosciutto over baked dressing.

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