Bon Appétit (November 2009)
We love a creamed corn pudding for Thanksgiving. Soft, rich and buttery, baked in the oven for a great golden crust -- what's not to love?!
Well, there is one thing we don't really love: a sickly sweet corn pudding. It often tastes like you accidentally served dessert one course early.
That's why we loved this Real Creamed Corn Pudding from the November Bon Appétit. It's a delicious, savory take on corn pudding that makes it a terrific Thanksgiving side dish.
The recipe directs you to grate enough corn cobs to yield 4 cups of milky pulp. We didn't have an appropriate box grater on hand -- and anyway, that sounds like a lot of work -- so we used a food processor. We simply sliced all the kernels off with a knife and pulsed half of them in the Cuisinart, reserving the other half so we'd still have some nice texture in the pudding.
Other than that, it's a very straightforward recipe. Whipping the egg whites separately and then folding them in is a nice touch that keeps the pudding light and fluffy.
We loved the addition of the celery and onions, which added more texture and kept the pudding from just being a soft mass of mush.
So there you go: a savory creamed corn pudding without an ounce of added sugar. A great Thanksgiving side dish!
More Thanksgiving Suggestions From The Bitten Word >>
Real Creamed Corn Pudding
Bon Appétit (November 2009)
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INGREDIENTS
- 10 to 12 large ears of corn, shucked
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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Using large holes on box grater, grate enough corn into large measuring cup to yield 4 generous cups of thick milky pulp.
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Preheat oven to 425°F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and celery; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Sauté until tender but not brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Scrape mixture into bowl.
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Whisk egg yolks in large bowl 2 minutes. Stir in corn mixture, onion mixture, crème fraîche, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 2 teaspoons coarse salt. Whisk egg whites in medium bowl until stiff but not dry; fold into corn batter in 2 additions.
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Place remaining 2 tablespoons butter in 10- to 12-cup cast-iron skillet or baking dish. Transfer to oven and heat until butter begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Brush butter over inside of skillet. Add pudding.
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Bake pudding 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pudding until set and golden, about 30 minutes longer. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
