I love fresh corn on the cob, but off of the cob. That’s how Pampa always made it – once he boiled it, he would cut off the kernels and mix them with butter, salt and pepper. He hated getting corn stuck between his teeth, so this was his way to enjoy it without breaking out the dental floss. I really appreciated my grandfather’s method once I got braces and have been serving it this way (at least for me) ever since.

One would think that since I prefer corn off the cob that I would love creamed corn, but up until last month I despised it. I guess it was because the few times I tried it, it came from a can. The smell alone was disgusting, not to mention the mushy texture – ick! Luckily for me, I decided to try creamed corn again last month when it was part of my meal at Magnolias in Charleston, S.C. (more about this excellent restaurant in a separate post.) Of course, Magnolias’ creamed corn definitely is not canned and it is awesome! I’ve been craving it ever since I tried it, so of course I’ve been trying to recreate this dish at home. After a couple of tries (one that had cream cheese as an ingredient but unfortunately was too heavy for my taste) I finally have created a recipe that is easy to make and really quite tasty. It is creamy, not too sweet, and has a nice crunch since the corn kernels are not overcooked. Yum!

Ingredients (2 to 4 servings)

• 4 ears of corn, husks and silks removed (I used white corn, but tri-color is a great option as well)
• 1 tablespoon sugar (or more, to taste)
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup light cream
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• Sea salt, to taste
• Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

In a large bowl, cut the corn kernels from the cob. Scrape the corn cob to get as much of the liquid as possible.

In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, flour, salt and pepper and add to the corn kernels.

Stir in the cream and water.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet. Add the corn and simmer for 45 minutes or so, until the mixture is creamy but the corn is still crunchy. You may need to add some more water if the corn mixture becomes too dry.

Right before serving add the rest of the butter as well as additional salt and pepper to taste.

This is a great side dish for any type of country-style meal you are making (think fried chicken or pork chops, or as part of a vegetable plate.) Or just add a spoon, dig in and make it a meal on its own!

Bon appétit!

Eat, drink and be merry!

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