Saturday, June 19, 2010
Comfort Food: Corn Pudding
Corn pudding dates back to pre-Columbian times and was part of the first Thanksgiving. When corn is plentiful from midsummer until early fall, you may use fresh corn, or at other times, use good quality corn niblets.
nocoupons- 1/4 pound (1 stick) butter
- 5 cups fresh yellow corn kernels cut off the cob (about 6) or 3 cups of canned corn, drained
- 1 small onion (1 onion)
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 3 TBS chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 TBS sugar
- 1 Tbs. salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup sharp cheddar; reserve a little for the top
Melt the butter in a large skillet and add corn and onion and cook at medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Let cool.
Mix eggs, milk, and half-and-half in a large bowl. Add cornmeal and then ricotta. Continue by adding basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Fold in corn mixture and grated cheese and place in a baking dish. Top with additional cheese. Put this dish into a larger pan and fill the pan 1/2 way up the sides of the dish with hot water. Bake the pudding for 40 to 45 minutes until the top begins to brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.
