CORN

Every year for both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner we have green beans. Usually it is not the standard green bean casserole but just a pot of good seasoned green beans. While we all love them we are ready to try something different this Christmas!

My wife makes what she calls baked corn, its a casserole with both creamed and whole kernel corn, onions green peppers and crackers in it. We are looking for something a little different. It must be easy to make and not take any real exotic ingredients. I have looked at many baked corn, corn pudding and other corn recipes, does anyone have a good, easy recipe using canned or frozen corn?

Butch

Maque Choux (Go ahead, somebody say gesundheit)otherwise known as Smothered Cajun Corn. This is a recipe from James McNair's Corn Cookbook. I have made it many times; it is rich, satisfying, relatively easy to make.

12 ears fresh corn, stripped OR
6 cups canned or thawed frozen corn
6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Ground cayenne or other dried hot chile
1 1/2 cups peeled seeded, and chopped ripe or drained canned tomatoes
1 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy(whipping) cream or evaporated milk

In a saute pan or heavy skillet, melt 2 Tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the corn, sugar, salt, and peppers to taste and saute until the corn begins to stick to the pan, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and saute until liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes longer. Add the stock or broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes longer.

Stir into the corn the remaining 4 Tablespoons butter and the cream or evaporated milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Serves 6 (Although in my experience, this stuff is so rich it will serve more than that)

For a variation, you can add peeled shrimp, shucked small oysters, flaked crab or chopped lobster meat just before serving. Also try browning boned and skinned chicken, duck or pheasant chopped into bite size pieces in the butter before adding the corn.

Like I say, this is not a recipe for "light" eating. It is, however, damn tasty!

!agree--this is GOOD!!!

Just wondering Z66, what did you end up doing for Christmas dinner?