Corn Pudding


 

Morrey Thomas

TVWBB Super Fan
I had a delightful corn pudding side dish in a nice restaurant. My guess is that it contains kernel or creamed corn, heavy cream, a bit of sugar, eggs..etc. It was baked I think, and was firm, not runny. It was absolutely delicious as it had a custard like texture. It was one of the best side dishes I remember. Any ideas what this was and a suggested recipe to try?
 
It sounds like corn custard. Corn (preferably freshly cut off the ear, frozen if absolutely necessary - definitely not canned and DEFINITELY not canned creamed corn which is, in a word, disgusting); a little flour, milk, eggs. A touch of sugar if not using fresh corn. A little white pepper.
 
Thanks Kevin/Rita. I feel I am on the right track thanks to your help.

Rita - Cooks Illustrated wanted me to pay to sign up. I have posted a recipe that may be similar. Do you mind comparing if to Cooks Illustrated and evaluate if its close in your opinion? Thanks so much for your inputs!

CUSTARD CORN PUDDING

Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1650,155189-253200,00.html
Content Copyright © 2011 Cooks.com - All rights reserved.

3 c. milk
3 tbsp. butter
5 eggs
2 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 (17 oz.) can whole kernel corn, well drained

In a 1-quart saucepan over low heat, heat milk and butter until tiny bubbles form at edge and butter melts. Meanwhile, in a 2-quart casserole with wire whisk or fork, beat eggs, salt, sugar and pepper until well mixed. Stir in corn slowly, add milk mixture to egg mixture, beating constantly with wire whisk or fork.
Place casserole in 9x13 inch baking pan. Fill pan with hot water to come halfway up sides of casserole. Bake in 325 degree oven for 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Yield: 8 servings.
 
That's a ton of sugar. And canned corn is too watery.

CI has two that I can find. One is this:

6 ears corn (medium, fresh), husks and silk removed

3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus extra for
greasing baking dish

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/3 cups whole milk

4 large eggs , beaten lightly

1 tablespoon cornstarch


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut kernels from 5 ears of corn into medium bowl, then scrape cobs to collect [corn] milk in same bowl (you should have about 2½ cups kernels and milk). Grate remaining ear corn on coarse side of box grater (you should have about ½ cup grated kernels). Add grated kernels to bowl with cut kernels.

2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, place roasting pan or large baking dish on rack, and heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter 8-inch square baking dish. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in kettle or saucepan.

3. Heat large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add butter; when foaming subsides, add corn kernels and grated corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is bright yellow and liquid has almost evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add cream, salt, sugar, and cayenne; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and spoon leaves a trail when pan bottom is scraped, about 5 minutes. Transfer corn mixture to medium bowl. Stir in milk, then whisk in eggs and cornstarch. Pour mixture into buttered baking dish.

4. Set dish in roasting pan or large baking dish on oven rack; fill outer pan with boiling water to reach halfway up inner pan. Bake until center jiggles slightly when shaken and pudding has browned lightly in spots, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove baking dish with pudding from water bath; cool 10 minutes and serve.

***********

The water bath approach (used for creamy cheesecakes and other custards) assures even, gentle cooking and a lighter finish.

Most of the time I simply remove the corn from the cobs and sauté in butter till some is lightly caramelized, season with salt and white pepper, then add a little cream, allowing the cream to reduce by half or so. Then I put the contents of the pan in a tall beaker and plunge a handblender in a couple times, which partially purées the mix, making it thicker, and aerates it well for a pudding-like result.
 
Morrey, I tried sending the recipe to your email in your Profile, but apparently you did not add it. (In 9 years, I have never had a problem about my email here.) If you'll drop me a line, I'll send the recipe again (see my profile). It's easier than trying to reformat it for posting.

Oooops, I was in too much of a hurry and didn't see Kevin's post. That's the one I have. Sorry, Kevin.

Rita
 
Kevin/Rita,

I appreciate both of you following thru to provide me this recipe. Based on what I tasted, and believe the ingredients should be, this recipe should hit the nail on the head.
I will plunge my hand blender into the mixture to give it a slight blend. Cooking in a water pan is what I remember my grandmother doing when she cooked egg custard. When I had this corn custard recently, it did remind me of the smoothness of a baked custard, of course with corn which gave it a textural variation.
Again, than you both for taking the trouble to replicate this recipe for me. Can't wait to try it!
 
This is from T. Susan Chang for NPR. Google "Better Than Sex Corn Pudding NPR" for the full article, but this is simply outstanding - especially if you add some Hatch chiles.

Simple Corn Pudding
This basic recipe is corn comfort at its best. You can grate all of the kernels for a slightly smoother pudding, or, for a toothier version, you can leave some kernels whole as I've done here.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 or 6 ears of corn, husked (depending on size)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream or milk

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

5 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the butter in a baking dish (an 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish or iron skillet works well) and slide into the oven so the butter melts while the oven is preheating.

Using a box grater, coarsely grate the kernels off four ears of corn. Use a sharp knife to cut the kernels from the remaining ears. Combine the corn kernels, sugar, cream or milk, flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Lightly beat the five eggs and add to the mixture.

When the oven has preheated and the butter in the baking dish has melted, carefully tilt the melted butter from the baking dish into the corn mixture and combine with a few swift strokes. Then tilt the buttered corn mixture back into the baking dish.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until a golden crust has formed and the interior has set.
 
Frank, I made that tonight. It was really good. Thanks for the recipe. I've been looking for side dish recipes and I'll hold on to this one.
 
Thanks for the recipe, Frank. I printed and saved it for future use. When fresh corn becomes available from the garden next year I'll be looking this recipe back up.
 

 

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