Smoked Cheddar Corn Gratin

Summer corn has been on repeat in my house lately. That natural sweetness, paired up with butter and seasoning is hard to resist this time of year. And since I have so many ears of corn in my kitchen, there was also plenty to make something more creative.

Instead of a more traditional sweet corn casserole, I went the savory route with smoked cheddar cheese. If you love cheddar but haven't tried the smoked variety, you're missing a flavor treat. I didn't add any sugar because I found the fresh corn sweet enough. But if you're making this with canned or frozen kernels, taste the sauce and decide if you'd like to add a teaspoon of sugar.

For the crispy top, I was trying to decide whether to just use breadcrumbs or a savory crumb topping. So, I combined the two. A total experiment that so totally worked. This recipe ticks all the boxes for cheesy, creamy and crunchy. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 Servings

Author: Anita Schecter

Smoked Cheddar Corn Gratin

prep time: 20 Mcook time: 40 Mtotal time: 60 M

Recipe for a casserole of corn and smoked cheddar cheese sauce, topped with breadcrumbs.

ingredients:

• 1 Clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Cups whole milk
• 2 Cups corn kernels
• 1 Cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese
• 1/4 Teaspoon black pepper
• Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
• 
  
• Topping:
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 Cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs
• Pinch of salt

instructions:

How to cook Smoked Cheddar Corn Gratin

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Add the butter and minced garlic to a large skillet or cast iron pan. Cook on medium low heat for a minute, just until the garlic softens, then whisk in the flour. Cook for a couple of minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
3. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue cooking until the sauce begins to thicken.
4. Stir in the cheese, corn, parsley and seasonings.
5. To make the topping, combine the melted butter, flour, breadcrumbs and salt in a medium bowl.
6. Pour the corn mixture into a casserole dish. Using your hands, form clumps of the topping and scatter over the corn mixture. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the crumb topping begins to brown.

Created using The Recipes Generator