Executive chef and partner of restaurant The Grey in Savannah, Georgia, Mashama Bailey enjoys taking classic recipes that represent African American food and giving them a modern Southern twist. This includes dishes like cornbread dressing, a popular Thanksgiving side dish that Bailey revamps with a Creole touch.

Mashama created a Southern cornbread dressing that uses a Creole sauce made from shrimp stock and white wine, instead of using chicken stock as the liquid. Creole food blends European, African, and Native American cuisines and was created in New Orleans, Louisiana, acting as Bailey’s inspiration for this ingredient swap.

The roux-based sauce that Bailey created includes a typical Cajun blackening spice mix, shrimp powder, and shrimp stock. While replacing the broth in dressing or stuffing may not seem like it would have a big effect, it completely transforms the dish as the starch soaks up the liquid and takes on an immense amount of flavor.