Cast Iron Skillet Oyster Cornbread Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 165 g unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup Tasso ham, finely diced
• 5 cups cornbread, cut into 2cm cubes, soaked overnight
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 stalks of celery, finely diced
• 1 small leek (white and light green parts only), finely diced
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
• 0.5 cups dry white wine
• 24 fresh oysters, shucked and halved, plus 0.5 cup oyster juice
• 0.5 cups unsalted chicken broth
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Special equipment: oyster knife, optional

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. In a 25 cm (9 in) cast iron skillet, melt 10 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the ham and cook until the butter is fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the ham to a large bowl, reserving the butter in the skillet.
3. Add the garlic, celery, leek, onion, sage, and thyme to the pan with the flavored butter. Cook the vegetable mixture over medium heat, stirring as needed, until the vegetables are tender, 5–8 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking over medium heat until the liquid has reduced by half, 3–5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, then add the oyster juice and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and let cool at room temperature for 10–15 minutes. If the bread mixture appears dry, simply add more broth. The finished mixture should be moist enough, but not have excess liquid pooling at the bottom.
4. Add the oysters to the bowl with the cornbread and ham. Transfer the cooled vegetables to the same bowl and toss lightly. Season with salt and pepper, then add the parsley and eggs.
5. Grease the inside of the same skillet with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Transfer the cornbread mixture to the skillet, making sure it's evenly distributed. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is golden brown, 10–15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving, about 10 minutes.
   
   Note
   
   Tasso ham can be substituted with any other smoked pork product. For a classic flavor, use bacon or country ham, and for a more savory taste, use andouille or chorizo.