Real Creamed Corn

If the last time you had creamed corn was from a can, July is the perfect month to make some real creamed corn, and forget that junk! I have always loved creamed corn, and then while visiting a good friend sat I down with his copy of Thomas Keller’s amazing and wonderful Ad Hoc at Home, and found his great recipe that is so simple and summery I had to make it. I seldom buy fewer than twelve ears, so I have enough to use it for other things. My love for summer corn is serious, so I find all kinds of ways to use it beyond enjoying a buttery ear; corn pancakes and fritters, corn eggs, corn and tomato salad,  corn chowder, and creamed corn.

To make creamed corn, you don’t want to use leftover corn, so save some ears for this. You want to get as much starch as you can from those ears, so after you strip off the corn, you need to use the back of your knife to run it down the ear with some pressure, to extract all that starchy liquid. Keller uses chives, lime and cayenne to punch up his recipe, I like to play around with a variety of add-ins; scallions, diced red peppers, I don’t, but you might like some diced jalapeño.  Once you’ve got the hang of it, I promise you’ll be hooked, and start making some variety of creamed corn all summer (or as often as you can justify using that much heavy cream). Though if you forgo your baked potato with butter and sour cream, this corn is way lighter than that! (It’s all about balance right?)

I grew up on Long Island, so naturally I thought Long Island corn was the best corn. Then I talked to some people from New Jersey who boasted theirs was best, as do natives from almost anywhere corn grows, and I finally understood that what makes all that corn so great is that the freshest corn is the best. This is where local isn’t just about making a conscientious decision, it really makes a big difference in quality and flavor. Once corn is picked the sugars start converting to starch, and the best way to accelerate that is to shuck the corn and expose it to the air.  You should never buy shucked corn, or shuck it at all until right before you’re going to cook it. I don’t even open the ears to check them. I just feel to make sure there are kernels all the way to the top, and check the husks for insect damage. You want the ear to feel full and heavy.

You will find many techniques claiming they are the easiest way to remove the corn kernels from the cob, but I really love my corn stripper! It removes the corn easily, and the flat edge will remove any remaining corn flesh, and all that valuable starch left in the cob.  I bought my mom an OXO corn stripper that had a cup attached, and collected the kernels, and it worked fine, but I think the Kuhn Rikon stripper is far superior (no one has asked me to say that, or furnished me with one) and who doesn’t like a kitchen tool that smiles at you?

Although I based my recipe on Keller’s, I am shocked to say I wasn’t crazy about all the components. Keller uses lime zest and lime juice, and though I generally love the brightness adding citrus offers, in this application, I felt it was more flat than bright. Mine is a very basic and simple creamed corn, and as usual, I encourage you to add whatever you think will give it more personality. Sometimes, a side dish, like this one is better as a great best friend than the star of the show. I’d like to nominate my recipe for a supporting role, but perhaps one that steals the show.

Creamed Corn

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Serves	4
Prep time	30 minutes
Cook time	30 minutes
Total time	1 hour
From book	Ad Hoc at Home

Ingredients

• 4 ears of corn, shucked
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cups heavy cream
• 1 lime, juiced
• kosher sat and fresh pepper

Note

I added 1/2 cup of fine diced red pepper to my corn, and added it when there were 5 minutes left to to cook the corn (before adding the cream)

You can add any of the following:

• 2 TBL diced jalapeño
• 1/2 cup diced ham
• 1 scallion sliced thin
• 1 TBL finely chopped chives

Directions

Step 1

Using a sharp knife or corn stripper, remove the kernels from all ears. After kernels have been removed, run the back of the knife against the cob to remove any remaining corn pieces, and any starch

Step 2

Melt butter in a 12" pan over medium-low heat, when butter is melted add corn and lime juice, season with salt and pepper Season lightly and add more if needed before serving Cook, stirring occasionally until all liquid is gone, and corn is starting to sizzle 15-17 minutes

Step 3

Add cream, and cook an additional 8-10 minutes, adding more cream if needed, if it starts looking dry Taste for salt and pepper, and serve