OK, this being our third corn salad recipe, you’re probably thinking to yourself “these kweens can’t get enough of the kernels.” We’d argue with you, but you’re right.
It’s summer in Texas. Between the heat and the humidity, the beads of sweat are falling faster than Aunt Carol’s “party” bangs. The last thing you want to do is spend a ton of time over a hot stove cranking out what could be an average dish that, too, falls flat. Not to worry, this dish delivers. Think of this quick, spicy, and creamy casserole as the AquaNet of your next meal.
A note about heat: the first few times we cooked this, we played with seeding or not seeding the jalapeño. We can usually handle a bit of spice, so the first time around, we didn’t seed the pepper at all, and it burned our f’ing faces off. At least we were finally validated in “beer-bonging” an entire bottle of Rosé! So, the second time around we seeded half of the jalapeńo, and it still seemed a bit too spicy. We are suggesting to seed it in the recipe, but if you’re feeling a little braver than these two pansies, do it at your own risk and have plenty of chilled wine and a funnel nearby.
serves 6-8
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 medium jalepeño, finely diced (seeded or unseeded, depending on spiciness desired)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 stick butter
- 7 cups corn kernels, frozen or fresh
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced, pale green and green parts only
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large deep skillet, melt butter over high heat. Add bell pepper, jalapeño, onion and garlic and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add corn and stir to combine. Then add cream cheese, milk and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Turn off heat and add salt and pepper.
Grease a 8×11 or a 10×10 baking dish and spoon corn mixture into it. Next, top with green onions and remaining cheddar cheese. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, and continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes, until bubbling and starting to brown. If you like an extra depth of flavor, broil on high for an additional minute or so. DO NOT walk away from the oven though, this will burn up in a hot second.
Let cool and serve!