You know how homemade macaroni & cheese has a bread crumb topping that’s buttery and crunchy with edges that make you wanna scream Hallelujah? Take a look at this skillet. Now imagine that Hallelujah crust but substitute the mac & cheese for CORN. Out of all of the things I made for dinner on Sunday night, this corn is still lingering in my head. I thought I had found the best corn dish this summer with Thomas Keller’s Creamed Summer Corn. Psshaw. This Scalloped Corn just knocked the creamed corn into the #2 slot. I didn’t think that was even possible.
Make it. Rejoice. Hallelujah! You found a dish that reminds you of macaroni & cheese, corn pudding and creamed corn! Let me just remind you that we only have a few weeks left of corn season. You’d better get on this.
And we’re off!
CORN!
Butter in a skillet. Now we’re starting.
Shuck that corn!
All the good stuff.
Sweat those onions in butter.
Add the flour, cayenne, pepper & salt. This is your thickening agent.
Pour in your half & half. Don’t think about calories. Long coat & scarf season is coming up!
When the cream has thickened, add in your corn. Stir.
After 2 minutes, add in your egg yolks. STIR.
Top with fresh bread crumbs. I made bread crumbs by making sourdough toast & putting it in a spice grinder!
Dot with butter. Do you see where this is going?
Read my words.
I swear I could totally eat that whole skillet of corn.
Just watch me!
Scalloped Corn
makes enough for 6
(recipe slightly adapted from Heart of the Artichoke by David Tanis)
- 2 tablespoons butter, plus more for butter the dish & topping
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- salt & pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- pinch of cayenne
- 1 1/2 cups half & half
- 3 cups sweet corn (about 5 ears worth)
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 375F. Butter a 10 inch baking dish (or a cast iron skillet!).
Melt the 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a medium skillet and soften the onion with a little salt, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, season with salt, pepper & cayenne, and stir well with a wooden spoon.
Slowly add the half & half and stir well as the sauce thickens. Add the corn kernels and simmer for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from heat.
Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl, and stir into the corn mixture.
Pour the corn mixture into a baking dish. Scatter the bread crumbs over the top and dot with butter. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden.
