Corn and tomatoes: Are there any two things that taste as much like summer? My family is from the midwest, where corn is sweet and abundant, and the taste of a just-picked ear straight from a South Dakota backyard is one of those taste memories that will never be beat. This spoonbread did a fine job of bringing me back, though.
This is a fun dinner to make because the spoonbreads puff up mightily in the oven, only to deflate and settle into a homey, creamy little pot of gold. It’s kind of like corn itself: it has a shining moment of glory, picked right off the stalk, and it’s sweetness fades fast. Although these spoonbreads don’t become any less wonderful tasting for their flattened appearance.
The little corn souffles themselves are a treat, but topped with a bright burst of tomato salad, they become something really special. The flavor combination is right on, the smoothness of the corn pudding with the acidic sweetness of the tomatoes. You definitely want to use good tomatoes for this, and we are getting an abundance of them in the Bay this year.
The best thing about this is that, for all its impressiveness, this is a very easy little side dish to make. We ate these with some grilled cod, and it tasted just like summer.
I used scallions instead of the chives in the original recipe, and I think the extra pungency of the the scallions was appreciated. And the leftover tomato mixture was excellent the next day, tossed into a green salad.
I only have three ramekins, so I was hunting around for something to bake the fourth spoonbread in. I found a six-ounce canning jar, and it worked perfectly. Plus, it looked really cute, and it was a cinch to screw a lid on, put it in the refrigerator, and bring it to work for lunch the next day.
| Corn and Tomato Spoonbread |
- Butter or cooking spray, for the ramekins
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 2 cups whole milk
- about 1 cup corn kernels, cut from 2-3 ears of corn
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- about 2-3 tablespoons chopped scallions
- 2-3 medium tomatoes
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray the inside of four six-ounce ramekins with baking spray, or butter them lightly.
- Whisk the cornmeal, milk, corn, and a generous pinch of salt together in a microwave-safe mixing bowl. Microwave on high for about five minutes. Stir it well. It should be nice and thick, like oatmeal. If it’s not, give it another one or two minutes in the microwave.
- Beat the eggs until they are thick and airy, about five minutes with an electric mixer (I used the whisk attachment of my immersion blender).
- Whisk the parmesan cheese and a tablespoon of scallions into the warm cornbread mixture. Then slowly whisk the eggs into the cornmeal. Add the eggs in a thin stream while whisking vigorously, so the eggs don’t up and cook on you. Whisk until it’s smooth, then portion out the batter into the prepared ramekins. Put them on a baking sheet, then bake for about 25 minutes, until they are puffed and just beginning to turn golden brown.
- While the spoonbreads bake, chop the tomatoes, and toss with some olive oil, the remaining scallions, and salt and pepper to taste. Try not to eat all the tomatoes while you’re waiting for the spoonbreads to cook.
- When they’re done, put a bit of tomato salad on top of each one and serve.