Creamed Corn Recipe

Nothing says luscious country-style cooking quite like a delicious creamed corn bursting with the flavors of summer. Formerly of Charleston's Butcher & Bee, executive chef Stuart Tracy brings his touch with elegant homestyle cooking to the cozy-chic Atlanta restaurant Parish, where he inflects his already succulent creamed corn with the decadent, salty flavor of a Southern staple, country ham.

Though served by chef Tracy as a side, we think, paired with a salad that this satisfying dish could also make for a lovely, straight-from-the-garden summer feast.

Creamed Corn With Country Ham

Yield: 6 servings (as a side)

• 12 ears yellow corn
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 5 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 each fresh bay leaf
• 2 cups white wine
• 1 quart corn stock (recipe follows)*
• 3 ounces country ham, speck ham, prosciutto or similar meat, finely diced
  

Remove the husks from each ear of corn, as well as any silk that may cling to the cob. Carefully remove corn off the cob by standing the cob upright on a damp kitchen towel, and then cutting the kernels off with a sharp kitchen knife. Separate kernels and reserve cobs for corn stock (recipe below).

Heat a large pot over medium heat, and add butter. Once the butter has melted and begins to bubble, add shallots, garlic and bay leaf. Cook gently until the shallots and garlic are soft, but not brown.

Add corn and white wine. Stir to evenly distribute the liquid, and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the white wine is reduced by 75 percent.

Add corn stock, and stir to distribute. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes, or until the corn is no longer starchy. 

Remove roughly a quarter of the corn mixture, and place in a blender. Puree very well, and add back to the pot. Simmer for another 15 minutes, season with salt, pepper and country ham (if desired).

*Corn Stock

Yield: 1 gallon

• 12 corn cobs, with no corn attached, chopped into 2-3 pieces each
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped into quarters
• 1 head of garlic, cut in half
• 4 fresh bay leaves
  
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 4 quarts water

Add all ingredients to a two gallon stock pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and allow to cook for two hours. Turn off heat, and strain into a container if not using right away. Allow to cool before refrigerating. Stock will last for seven days in the refrigerator, or up to two months in the freezer.