Cream Corn
Best meal last night: Bracingly salty slices of country ham, baby limas simmered for hours with smoked hocks and swimming in pot likker (sic), garden-fresh sautéed squash, crisp salad with red and yellow candy-sweet tomatoes, dressed with a sharp Bleu Cheese .....and last but not least, creamy skillet corn. I asked D if he'd ever had real cream corn and he replied, "Only from a can." I assured him that the soupy stuff that comes from a can is no closer to cream corn than putt-putt is to the Master's. Here's my inexact recipe.
4-5 large ears of fresh corn, shucked, cleaned, silks removed
3-4 TBSP butter
1 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream, divided
Carefully cut the tip off of each cob with a paring knife. In large, deep bowl, put the cob flat-tip side down and slice down the length of it to begin removing the kernels. Rotate the cob until all of the kernels are removed. Now with each empty cob, scrape down the length, firmly using the back of the blade. This will result in a milky liquid coming from the cob. Don't worry! That's the good stuff. Now, repeat the process until all corn is done.
In large skillet, over medium-high heat, begin to melt the butter. Add corn to the skillet. Mix in sugar, flour, and a touch of salt and pepper. Add in only 1/2 cup of the heavy cream. Bring that to a high simmer, stirring frequently for 15 minutes. Periodically, I'll mash some of the kernels with the back of my spoon.
Now dial back the heat a little, to medium-low, and add in another 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Stir occasionally for an additional 10-15 minutes. After that is usually when I give it a taste and see if I need to make any adjustments on seasonings. This is the time I'll also gauge if more cream is needed. If so, I'll stir in the final 1/4 cup and let it go on low for 10 more minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
4-5 large ears of fresh corn, shucked, cleaned, silks removed
3-4 TBSP butter
1 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream, divided
Carefully cut the tip off of each cob with a paring knife. In large, deep bowl, put the cob flat-tip side down and slice down the length of it to begin removing the kernels. Rotate the cob until all of the kernels are removed. Now with each empty cob, scrape down the length, firmly using the back of the blade. This will result in a milky liquid coming from the cob. Don't worry! That's the good stuff. Now, repeat the process until all corn is done.
In large skillet, over medium-high heat, begin to melt the butter. Add corn to the skillet. Mix in sugar, flour, and a touch of salt and pepper. Add in only 1/2 cup of the heavy cream. Bring that to a high simmer, stirring frequently for 15 minutes. Periodically, I'll mash some of the kernels with the back of my spoon.
Now dial back the heat a little, to medium-low, and add in another 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Stir occasionally for an additional 10-15 minutes. After that is usually when I give it a taste and see if I need to make any adjustments on seasonings. This is the time I'll also gauge if more cream is needed. If so, I'll stir in the final 1/4 cup and let it go on low for 10 more minutes before serving.
Enjoy!