Pesto Corn Pudding

Corn pudding can often be a one-note side dish without any dimension or balance. The ripple of Armanino Basil Pesto in this recipe gives it an herbal zing that lightens the load. Plus, visually? It’s a showstopper.

Ingredients

  •  1 pound frozen corn, defrosted
  •  ¾ cup heavy cream
  •  ½ cup all-purpose flour
  •  ⅓ cup cornmeal
  •  2 tablespoons grated parmesan
  •  2 tablespoons sugar
  •  1 ¼ teaspoons salt
  •  ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  •  1 cup sour cream
  •  6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  •  1 large egg, lightly beaten
  •  ½ cup Armanino Basil Pesto

Directions

  • Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400°F. Butter an 8×8-inch square baking dish with butter.
  • Combine cream and 1 ½ cups of the corn in food processor or blender and process until smooth, about 30 seconds.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, parmesan, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, melted butter, egg and pureed corn mixture then mix in the remaining corn kernels.
  • Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined.
  • Transfer half of the batter to the prepared baking dish.
  • Dot with half of the pesto then top with the remaining batter.
  • Dot the remaining pesto on top and insert a chopstick or butter knife through the batter and gently swirl the pesto.
  • Bake until slightly puffed and the edges are golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature.

Chef’s Tips

  • Defrost the corn in the refrigerator overnight on the counter for an hour, or microwave gently. Frozen corn will not process well with the cream, making a sort of slush that is difficult to work with.
  • When swirling the pesto into the batter, insert a chopstick or butter knife all the way to the bottom of the pan and gently swirl throughout the entire pan. Take care not to overmix; you want a bit of pesto in every bite but not completely blended throughout the batter.
Yields
8 servings
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes

More Recipes

Cheese Ravioli with Roasted Squash and Crispy Sage and Brown Butter
BBQ Bacon Meatball Bites
Italian Pork Sliders