Corn, Scalloped

By MarieR

This creamy casserole should shout sweet, pure corn flavor. Not muzzle the taste of fresh corn like many recipes.

Ingredients

• NOTE: Add up to 1 tablespoon sugar to the cooking mixture in step 2 if your corn is out of season.
• 14 Ritz crackers (about half a sleeve)
• 1 slice high-quality white sandwich bread,
• torn into pieces
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 12 ears corn, husks and silk removed
• 1 1/4 cups half-and-half
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 70mins

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Pulse the crackers, bread, and butter in a food processor until coarsely ground.
2. Following the photo at left, cut the kernels from the ears of corn. Bring the kernels, half-and-half, salt, and pepper to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the corn is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Puree 2 cups of the corn mixture in a blender until thick and smooth. Return the puree to the pot with the cooked corn and stir to combine. Transfer the corn mixture to the prepared dish. Top with the crumb mixture and bake until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Serve.
(Once transferred to the baking dish in step 3, the filling can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days. Refrigerate the crumb topping separately.
Bring the filling to room temperature, cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Increase the temperature to 450 degrees, remove the foil, top with the crumb mixture, and bake until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes.)