by June
All year we wait for the fresh corn. There is no stronger argument for eating locally than corn. Cooked within hours of coming off the stalk, corn is pure snappy sweetness. Birch and I are happy to eat it straight off the cob (just cooked for three or four minutes in boiling water). We've also been known to soak it unhusked in water for the afternoon, then toss it onto the grill or into the pizza oven. The smoke seems almost caramelized; we can't help thinking it's a scent that must have wafted across this land for centuries. Whichever way it's cooked, corn on the cob is a summer-only treat not just for us but for the chickens too: Leftover corn kernels cling to the cobs, and the whole flock flaps and squawks to get at the goodies.
Our girls favor a corn pudding that preserves the sweet crispness of the corn but surrounds it in what Fern calls "wobbly creaminess." What a wobbly creaminess it is, and warming too. On a misty day, with maybe a smattering of rain, this pudding makes us feel cozy in the house, even as it reminds us that summer is here. And the corn will never be sweeter.
Fresh Corn Pudding
2 cups fresh corn, sheered off the cob
2 cups milk, scalded
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1 small onion, chopped (optional)
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Beat the eggs. Slowly beat in the milk and melted butter. Add the corn, onion, and seasonings. Set dish in a pan of hot water and cook in a 325 degree oven for about an hour. The pudding should be set so that a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (Cooking time will vary by the juiciness of the corn.)
We're adding our corniness to the general corniness this week of Summer Fest 2010, a blogging extravaganza about seasonal bounty and how to enjoy it best. We hope you'll share your favorite corn recipes and tips in our comments and everywhere you see the Summer Fest badge.
We're adding our corniness to the general corniness this week of Summer Fest 2010, a blogging extravaganza about seasonal bounty and how to enjoy it best. We hope you'll share your favorite corn recipes and tips in our comments and everywhere you see the Summer Fest badge.
12 comments:
Oh that corn pudding sounds and looks divine! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I'm so making this! Picking up fresh corn from a local farmer on the way home! Thanks for the recipe friend. Give those 2 precious girls a big squeeze and tell them it's from their friend in RI.
Catherine: It is divine in its wobbliness...and its utter simplicity.
Lisa: Don't you love a dish so simple and seasonal you can decide to make it on the spur of the moment? Enjoy, dear one. And hugs back to you from the girls and me (and the goats).
Thank you for the reminder about this yummy dish - I haven't made it in ages!!
I love the caramelized flavor of grilled corn, but I admit I've never had corn pudding. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Tracey: Nostalgic, isn't it? Yum.
Clare: I love love caramelized corn-on-the-cob. But there's something so PURE CORN about this... It really shows off the corn's own deep sweetness. I'm glad I don't have to choose between the two preparations. This time of year, we can have it all. Enjoy!
Wow, this pudding sounds awesome. My favorite way to eat corn, grilled over the charcoal coals, slather with mayo and mexican cheese! Divine.
Meems: I've never had mayo on corn. Butter, yes. Oh MY! Thanks for the tip...
June this is one of my summer favorites. If I attend a potluck this is my old standby, or blackberry crisp if a dessert is requested.
June, you keep teasing me with that pizza oven. On my list of things to do it is making headway, from item 462 to 329. I look forward to the day when I blog about my first outdoor pizza, with full credit due to and inspiration provided by June, Birch, Fern and Blossom.
Tom: Old standby indeed! And I just took a blackberry crisp to a potluck last weekend! Our blackberries are bumper this year, and our favorite thing is blackberry crisp on a snowy night. The freezer is filling fast.
And you need to get on that pizza oven! We are so happy to be your inspiration -- as you inspire us daily. Especially that orchard of yours. We're trying to figure out how to make our clay soil work for more fruit trees. So discouraging.
This sounds amazing and I can hardly wait for the corn to ripen so I can try it.
This is so simple. I was over exuberant at the tailgate yesterday and bought way too much corn and running out of simple ways to prepare it. This is just what I've been looking for. It's what I'm making tonight!
Post a Comment