Aside from ripe berries and stone fruit, one of the best flavors of summer is sweet corn.  It complements just about every summer main dish – from pulled pork barbecue and fried chicken to crab cakes and shrimp boils.  I had a very memorable dinner earlier this season at the Spring House on Block Island: Scallops with Lobster and Corn Pudding, topped with fresh arugula and garnished with chive infused olive oil and a red pepper coulis.  Savoring every bite, I resolved myself to try to make a versatile corn pudding that could be dressed up or down depending on what it is paired with.

You can make this corn pudding a few different ways:

• puree the corn for a smooth texture

• leave the corn kernels whole

• bake in a bain-marie for even cooking and a soft texture

• bake straight in a baking dish for browned edges and a crusty edge

I wanted a more rustic dish this time around, so I left the kernels whole and cooked straight in the oven.

Ingredients:

5 ears of corn, husked
8 tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick)
5 large eggs
¾ cup of half and half
½ cup milk
½ cup yellow cornmeal
1 ¼ cup ricotta
1 cup mascarpone
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove kernels from the cob.  Melt butter in a large pan and saute corn kernels about 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and mix in half and half and milk.  Using a large spoon or spatula, add ricotta, mascarpone, and corn meal.  Stir until smooth.  Finally, add sugar, salt, and vanilla and combine thoroughly.

Pour into a medium-size baking pan.  I chose a 9”x13” pan so that I could cut the pudding into squares for serving, but you can also bake in separate ramekins (perfect for a bain-marie) or in a casserole dish if you prefer to serve family-style.

Bake for 40-45 minutes.  Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Paris is where our journey begins.  If you have ever set foot on French soil, you know it drips with love – love of people, love of culture, love of community.  Most of all: love of food.

Sitting in my Washington DC apartment, I cannot help but remember a little cafe – Chez Renee – that my family stumbled upon on a side street in St. Germain on quiet breezy summer evening.  Beginning with some hesitant French words that were as butchered as the Boeuf Bourguignon that would soon grace our plates and ending with countless bottles of wine amongst two tables that had merged between our American party of 3 and the Parisians to our left, we had perhaps the most memorable meal of our much anticipated trip.  The food was unbelievable, the conversation invigorating, and the sense of community across two continents overflowed.

So here I am.  Inspired to explore the beauty and power of food.  I hope you enjoy my kitchen musings, reviews of restaurant experiences, and handy kitchen and food finds.