Chef notes
Flavoring the actual cream with more corn flavor is the big surprise in this recipe. No one will know how you've hacked it; they'll just know it tastes amazing. Extra corn-chip crumbs on top add a satisfying crunch.
Technique tip: Don't let the cream mixture sit for too long before straining — you don't want clumps.
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn tortilla chips, generously packed
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
- 4 cups frozen organic corn
- 2½ teaspoons salt
- 2½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 handful corn tortilla chips, for crumbling
- 1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced
Preparation
For the corn cream:
Put the corn tortilla chips in a medium saucepan. Use your fist to break them down into big pieces. Add the cream and milk, bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and let the mixture infuse for 2 minutes. Strain and reserve liquid and discard the soggy pieces.
For the creamed corn:
In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the onions and sweat them until they're soft but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the corn and sauté for 1 minute. Add the strained cream, salt, pepper, sugar and hot sauce. Cook together for about 2 minutes, until the corn is soft and the flavors are combined. The mixture should be sweet and tangy. If it looks a bit dry, just add a little water.
To serve:
Remove the creamed corn to a serving dish. Crumble some tortillas on top for crunch and scatter the scallions over the dish.
