This cornbread stuffing has a lot to offer: earthy cornbread, crunchy pecans, sweet cranberries and herby California green ripe olives. Green olives are what make this stuffing truly special and unique. California green ripe olives are particularly mild and buttery, which make them a perfect contrast to the rest of the flavors in this recipe. Olives are great flavor absorbers, too! Add them to the seasoned vegetables and let them cook for a few minutes and they will take on all that sage and thyme goodness. You can make your own cornbread, or buy it ready-made at the store. It’s even better for this recipe if the cornbread is a day old, but not strictly necessary. Either way, be gentle when you slice the cornbread so the cubes don’t crumble too much. Of course, this stuffing has a place on the Thanksgiving table, but don’t just delegate it to a once a year event. Try it with your next roast chicken dinner; you’ll make the people at your table very happy! Transfer the pecans to a cutting board and roughly chop while still warm. Set aside until needed. Transfer the cubes and any crumbs the baking sheet used to toast the pecans. Toast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring partway through, until the cubes look golden around the edges and feel dry to the touch. Add the sage, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, olives, and cranberries. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes longer, or until the vegetables soften and the herbs are very aromatic. Let cool for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, stock and cream together. Pour over the stuffing and toss gently to combine, using your hands if necessary to avoid crumbling the cornbread too much. The stuffing should feel evenly moist; sprinkle with additional chicken stock as needed. Transfer to the baking dish.
