Corn Spoonbread with Tomatoes

I stopped at Fresh off the Farm the other day, and filled my basket with a bounty of beautiful vegetables, including sweet corn from Beth’s and a bulbous, gargantuan Heirloom tomato. This corn is so delicious, you can almost eat it straight from the cob. Last night, we sauteed it ever so quickly with a little butter and it was the best thing I ate all week. This spoonbread is kind of creamy, with a touch of sweetness, then you add acidic tomatoes with fatty, fruity olive oil, and you have a perfect Summer supper side dish.

Corn Spoonbread with Tomatoes
Adapted from a recipe by Food Network Kitchens; Makes six 4 oz ramekins

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cornmeal, plus more for the ramekins
• Butter
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup corn kernels (from 2 ears of corn)
• Kosher salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons minced chives
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and prepare ramekins with butter and cornmeal.

Step 2: Beat eggs until thick and airy, about 5 minutes.

Step 3: In a large pot combine cornmeal, milk, corn, and a pinch of salt over medium-high heat. Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens, about fifteen minutes. Stir in chives and 3/4 cups of cheese. Slowly fold the cornmeal batter into whipped eggs.

Step 4: Pour into ramekins and top with remaining cheese. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until puffed and set, 20-25 minutes.

Step 5: Toss tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Top the spoonbread with tomatoes and serve warm.

About the Author: Jillian Bedell

Jillian grew up in Connecticut, went to university in Boston, college in New Haven, did some post-grad soul searching in New York, exiled herself to Mexico, married her longtime sweetheart, and lived in a house on the ocean. She suspected Maine might be the perfect place to raise a family, so she came back home to New England two years ago. Now a mom to Violet Maeve and living in Rockland, where she hopes to settle for a good, long while, Jillian reads, writes, walks, and practices Nia, when not watching Malcolm photograph sandwiches.