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Corn Pudding
1 dozen ears corn 2 tablespoons shortening 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups scalded milk 2 eggs, beaten Remove the husks from the corn, pick out all the silk; cut a thin slice from the kernels; with a dull knife scrape down the ears. Melt the shortening, add the flour and seasonings, combine with milk and corn. Add the beaten eggs last. Pour in a greased baking dish and bake in a moderate oven for 30 minutes. Serves 6.
A milk-and-egg custard bound with a light roux, thickened mostly by the starch in the corn itself. The technique in the middle of the ingredient list is the part worth attention.
- Moderate ovenGenerally reckoned at about 350F, though period tables put "moderate" anywhere from roughly 350 to 375F. Thirty minutes will set a shallow dish; a deeper one may want 40-45 minutes, until the center is just barely wobbly.
- Cutting versus scrapingThe instruction to cut only a thin slice from the kernel tips and then scrape the cob with a dull knife is the hinge of the recipe. The scraped pulp and cob milk carry the starch that thickens the pudding; taking whole kernels off gives you corn in custard rather than corn pudding.
- A dozen earsTwelve ears will give a few cups of scraped pulp, varying a good deal with the size of the ears. Modern supersweet varieties are juicier and less starchy, so expect a looser set; a third egg helps if your corn runs watery.
- ShorteningIn a book of this vintage this means lard or a solid vegetable fat. Butter works and tastes better here, since nothing is being fried.
- Scalded milkHeat the milk until it steams and shows bubbles at the rim, not to a boil. Scalding was commonly explained as a way of knocking back bacteria in unpasteurized milk; today it simply keeps the roux from lumping and shortens the bake.
- Adding the eggsLet the corn and milk mixture cool below scalding before the beaten eggs go in, or they will curdle into threads instead of setting smooth.
- Baking dishA 1 1/2-quart dish is about right. A water bath is not called for and is not needed, but it will guard against a grainy edge if your oven runs hot.
- ServingSix as a side dish with roast meat. It sinks as it cools, so bring it out within a few minutes of leaving the oven.