2 pounds unseasoned bulk sausage meat
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 large shallot, minced
3 inner ribs celery, leaves included, diced
Kernels from 4 ears of corn (about 4 cups)
4 fresh sage leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
12 or so cups broken-up day-old corn bread
1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 cup (or less) chicken broth
Salt, freshly ground pepper

In a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage, breaking it up, until it loses its pink color, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set it aside on paper towels to drain. Pour off fat from skillet but do not clean the pan. Return skillet to heat.

Turn heat to medium and add butter; melt. Add onion, shallot and celery and cook, stirring, 8 to 10 minutes, until soft but not browned. Scrape up any of the sausage bits clinging to bottom of the skillet.

Add corn, sage and thyme; cook 1 minute. Set aside to cool for about 1 2minutes.

Place cornbread in large bowl. Add ingredients of the skillet along with the parsley. Combine into a rough mixture; do not over-mix. If mixture seems very dry, add enough broth to hold it together loosely. Season with salt (if needed) and pepper.

Put into body and neck cavities of a large turkey; do not overstuff. Put extra stuffing into a lightly buttered baking dish, cover loosely with foil and bake along with turkey the last half hour of roasting.

Makes 12 to 16 servings.

- From Stuffings by Carole Lalli (HarperCollins, $16.95)