Recipe: Corn Pudding with Dill and Parsley

Here is a recipe that I have made the last two Thanskgivings, and people have liked it quite a lot. It is a recipe from The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison and Edward Espe Brown, two of my favorite cooks. This is best the same day it is made, but keeps OK for a couple of days - the starches in the corn will develop and the taste and texture will change as time passes.

Corn Pudding with Dill and Parsley

6 ears white or yellow sweet corn
1/2 cup milk
4 or 5 eggs
3/4 cup cream, warmed
3 oz. jack or muenster cheese, grated
1 T fresh dill, finely chopped
1 T parsley, finely chopped
1/2 t salt white or black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Shave kernels from cobs with a knife. Scrape the cobs with an inverted teaspoon to catch the milky bits; put (put in a blender jar). Set aside one cup of the kernels and place the rest in a blender with the milk. Cover and puree until smooth – this should take around two minutes, which will feel like a long time to have the blender running.

In large mixing bowl, beat the eggs well with a whisk, then stir in the corn mixture, reserved kernels, cream, grated cheese, dill and parsley. Season with salt and several grindings of pepper.

Butter a large baking dish or one-cup ramekins and line liberally with bread crumbs. Add the corn custard and set the baking dish(es) in a larg pan on the middle oven rack. Add hot water to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish(es). Carefully, push the rack in and close oven door.

Bake at 325 degrees for up to an hour and 10 minutes in a large dish, or 50 to 55 minutes in ramekins. When the top is firm and slightly browned, remove the pudding from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes. Serve in baking dish or unmold ramekins and serve it bottoms up.