“Creamed” Corn with Scallions
This rich and velvety side dish relies on corn’s starchy “milk” to deliver supreme creaminess without diluting its flavor. OR Creamed corn, without the cream. Rather than dilute corn’s grassy sweetness with heavy cream, we rely the corn “milk” from the cob.
- Makes4 servings
- Cook Time25 minutes
- 4
All-American creamed corn typically is made with heavy cream, and sometimes even thickened with starch. But we think these ingredients blunt the sweet, grassy flavor of fresh corn, so instead we scrape the “milk” from the cobs after cutting away the kernels and blend it with a little water plus half of the kernels. Cooked with the whole kernels, the puree becomes creamy and velvety thanks to the corn’s natural starches. We don’t shy away from the butter, though, as it adds a luxurious richness, and we use savory scallions to balance the sugariness of the corn. Peak-season fresh yellow corn is best, of course, but thawed frozen corn works, too, but since you won’t have any cobs to “milk,” add an additional ¾ cup kernels into the blender for pureeing.
Don’t forget to stir often and scrape the bottom of the pan while cooking the corn. The natural sugars in the corn tend to stick and will easily scorch. Using a nonstick skillet helps prevent sticking, but it still is important to stir frequently.
Step 1
One at a time, stand the cobs on their base on and, using the back of a chef’s knife, scrape down the length of the cob to remove the “milk.” In a blender, combine the corn milk, 2 cups of the kernels and ½ cup water. Puree until smooth, about 1 minute.
Step 2
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, melt the butter. Add the puree, the remaining 2 cups corn kernels, the scallion whites and a large pinch each salt and pepper.
Bring to a simmer, stirring, then reduce to medium and cook, stirring often and scraping along the bottom to prevent scorching, until the mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes.
Off heat, taste and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with the scallion greens and serve with lime wedges.
