How to Make Corn Pudding

How to Make Corn Pudding Speaker: California corn, it’s sweet, fresh and delicious! California ranks number two when it comes to producing the crop. In fact, 18% of the nation’s corn is grown right here in California! Food and lifestyle expert Laura McIntosh is bringing it home from the crops to your kitchen. Laura McIntosh: Well, thanks everyone for joining me. I am here with the grower Alan. What’s your season like? What’s corn season is? Alan: Well, we start planting corn in February and we finish the corn in November. Laura McIntosh: It’s expensive to hand pick corn. Why do you do that? Alan: Because the workers pick the best ears out of the plant and then also there’s no damage from the machines. Laura McIntosh: Alan locally grows it here in Dixon California. It’s all good and it’s all available through November. Thanks Alan! I’d like to introduce you to Janine. Hi Janine! Janine Falvo: Hi Laura! Laura McIntosh: Thanks for being on the show. Janine Falvo: Thanks for having me. Laura McIntosh: All right, what are you going to cook with us today? We’ve got some fresh corn going on. We’ve got a lot of things. Janine Falvo: It’s a white corn pudding and it could be with an entrée or as a dessert. Laura McIntosh: All right, you are set! We have done a few steps though before we started, we have done a little roux. Janine Falvo: We have. We have a blond roux. We did that with a little butter and flour and that’s it. Laura McIntosh: And that’s it. Janine Falvo: And then we’re reducing our cream. Laura McIntosh: Your cream. Janine Falvo: So, what we’ll do is start by sautéing the corn. Laura McIntosh: Okay. Janine Falvo: This is a great recipe if we could get corn to Thanksgiving. This is a great Thanksgiving recipe. Laura McIntosh: Oh, it would be happy. Yes. There she goes. What’s her favorite ingredient? Shallots! Janine Falvo: Shallots. Laura McIntosh: That’s right! Janine Falvo: When in doubt, cut shallots. Okay, next thing we’re going to do -- and you could help me with this. Laura McIntosh: Okay. Janine Falvo: I’m going to combine and put the cream in the bowl. Laura McIntosh: Okay. Janine Falvo: As soon as I put this in then you can add the mascarpone. Laura McIntosh: A little mascarpone cheese. Everyone likes that! The whole thing, Janine? Janine Falvo: Yeah. Laura McIntosh: Okay. It’s melting right in this warm cream. Very nice! Janine Falvo: And the next thing you’re going to want to do is add the egg yolks pretty slowly. Laura McIntosh: Real slowly? Because the cream is warm, we don’t want to curdle them. So, we want to go nice and slow. Janine Falvo: Okay and then we’re going to add our roux. And now, I think it’s a good time to use the whisk. So, we’ll add our corn. That’s what makes the pudding pudding. Laura McIntosh: Oh yeah! Janine Falvo: Okay. We’re going to add a little tarragon and chives. And what I’m going to start to do is whip the egg yolks to stiff peaks. Laura McIntosh: How are we looking Janine? Janine Falvo: I think we’re at our peak performance. Laura McIntosh: It only takes about three minutes you guys. Janine Falvo: So, at this time, let’s add our toasted brioche. Laura McIntosh: To this mixture? Okay, all of it. Janine Falvo: All of it. Okay. The next part, we want to fold in the egg whites. Laura McIntosh: Okay, you do the honors. Janine Falvo: Okay, I will. And the egg whites are still going to remain visible. I’m not folding them in all the way. I want it to be nice, light and fluffy. Laura McIntosh: Okay. Now, these will go in the oven for about what? 15 minutes? Janine Falvo: 15 minutes. Laura McIntosh: 15 minutes. She has them, as you can see, in a water bath. And she has these great ramekins. They’re greased. They’re ready to go in the oven sitting in a water bath. Janine Falvo: Okay and we could start scooping them into our ramekins. Laura McIntosh: To our ramekins. Wait until you see these things come out. You’re going to be so excited as I am. Janine, they turned out perfect! We’re ready. Let’s do this thing! You ready? Janine Falvo: All right. Laura McIntosh: Look at that! Isn’t that beautiful? Janine Falvo: So, we’ll just take them out of the water bath. You could do compote if you want. Fig would be great. Peaches are great. Laura McIntosh: Oh look at drop. I’m going to have to taste it. Oh, you guys, this was an easy fun recipe that, by the way, tastes fantastic. Thank you Janine! Janine Falvo: Thank you! Laura McIntosh: These are just perfect out here.