Corn Fed
Can someone tell me where the month of May went? Yesterday I blinked and now all of a sudden we are staring Memorial day in the face. The fact that Memorial Day weekend is upon us is a good thing in my opinion, if only because it is the herald of summer weather, fun, and a slower pace.

For me, and a lot of other people, Memorial Day marks the beginning of BBQ season as well as the arrival of the summer produce. I’ve noticed the peaches and nectarines have started to appear as well as the English peas and the good strawberries. What makes me happiest though is when the local corn starts coming in.

I love fresh corn on the cob and when it’s at its peak, sometimes I don’t even bother to steam it. Corn the cob can be a pain in a BBQ setting ‘cause you aren’t always able to sit and eat. And, managing it one handed can lead to either serious butter stains or corn in the dirt. So, it’s nice to do something with corn that is more paper plate friendly.

Per usual, I will be spending Memorial Day enjoying America’s pastime from the bleachers in Brentwood. But, there will still be time to throw some steaks on the grill and celebrate. So, I am crossing my fingers there will be some corn on the way to the baseball fields ‘cause there is still one more family birthday to celebrate and I’m in charge of sides.

I found this take on cheesy corn casserole in one of my magazines and I can’t wait to give it a try this weekend. The original recipe called for green onions. But, since I am a rebel, I am going to swap those out for diced green chilies. Feel free to try the onions for less of a kick.

Happy Memorial Day!

Chili Corn Casserole
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated
Yields 8 to 10 serving 

Ingredients
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds fresh corn, from about 8 cobs
7 oz. can diced green chilis
1 cup sour cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese,
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions
Heat your oven to 350º F and grease 13″ x 9″ baking dish.

Cut 4 ounces of Monterey Jack into 1/2-inch cubes. Shred the remaining Monterey Jack using the large holes of a box grater and set aside.

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne together in large bowl.

Pulse 1 pound of the corn in a food processor to make a coarse puree (about 10 pulses).

Stir the pureed corn mixture into the flour mixture. Add the sour cream, 1/4 cup Parmesan, eggs, melted butter,
remaining 1 pound corn, diced chilies, and cubed Monterey Jack and mix until combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish. Sprinkle with shredded Monterey Jack and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Bake until the casserole is slightly puffy and the cheeses are golden brown, (about 45 to 50 minutes). Remove from oven, transfer the casserole to a wire rack, and allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving.