Serves 8

An eggy custard of corn, heavy cream, sour cream, grated Gouda, cornmeal, and scallions turns into a savory side that pairs well with grilled fish, boiled lobster, or saucy barbecue. Many cooks make this dish year round with frozen corn, but kernels cut from cobs picked at your local farm is the best way. To remove corn from the cobs, set an ear of corn on a cutting board and working from the thick to the narrow end, cut off two rows of kernels. Turn and cut off two or three more rows, and continue until all the corn is off. Buzz half the kernels in a blender with heavy cream. Stir them together with the custard ingredients and bake until lightly browned. Don’t forget to invite a small crowd.

Butter (for the pan)

5 large ears corn, kernels removed from cobs

1½ cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter, melted

½ cup sour cream

6 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup grated Gouda

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

¼ cup yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons sugar

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Set the oven at 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking dish.

2. In a blender, combine half the corn with the heavy cream. Blend until the mixture is almost smooth.

3. Transfer the pureed corn to a bowl. Add the butter, sour cream, eggs, Gouda, scallions, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Pour the mixture into the baking dish.

4. Bake for 90 minutes or until the center is set and the top is lightly browned.

Karoline Boehm Goodnick

Karoline Boehm Goodnick can be reached at kboehmgoodnick@gmail.com.