Colonial Corn Pudding

Corn pudding evolved from the popular colonial Indian pudding, which was itself a cornmeal adaptation of flour-based English porridge. Nantucket farmers raise fabulous summer sweet corn, which local cooks freeze for a holiday pudding or chowder. You can substitute store-bought frozen corn in this custardy baked side dish. When it's done, the edges should be a little crusty and the center still slightly soft. If time is an issue, make the dish ahead, refrigerate, and then reheat before serving.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup)

Ingredients

• 3  cups  frozen whole-kernel corn kernels, thawed and divided
• 3/4  cup  evaporated fat-free milk, divided
• 2  tablespoons  half-and-half
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/8  teaspoon  white pepper
• Dash of freshly ground nutmeg
• 1  large egg
• 1  large egg white
• 6  tablespoons  oyster crackers, crushed and divided
• 3  tablespoons  stone-ground cornmeal
• Cooking spray
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2  teaspoons  butter, melted

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Combine 1 cup corn, 1/4 cup evaporated milk, and half-and-half in a blender; process until smooth. Combine remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and egg white in a large bowl. Stir in pureed corn mixture, remaining 2 cups corn, 3 tablespoons crackers, and cornmeal.

3. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Combine remaining 3 tablespoons crackers and butter in a small bowl; sprinkle cracker mixture evenly over cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

145 (32% from fat)

Fat:

5.2g (sat 2.7g,mono 1.6g,poly 0.6g)

Protein:

6.9g

Carbohydrate:

19g

Fiber:

1.7g

Cholesterol:

34mg

Iron:

0.7mg

Sodium:

277mg

Calcium:

122mg