Scalloped Corn

I thought this dish was one of the best side dishes I've ever made. I couldn't stop eating it. The flavors came together wonderfully to make a very pleasant tasting dish. The dish, as I knew it in the past, was made with cream of something soup and creamed canned corn. It wasn't very pleasing. I was so excited to see that Cooks Country redid the recipe and made it the way it should be. Overall the dish was easy to make. It wasn't exactly quick to make but you can make it ahead and then it would be a quick dish.

Scalloped Corn
Cooks Country June/July 2010

14 Ritz crackers
1 slice hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
12 medium ears corn, husks and silk removed ***if using out of season corn add up to one tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cups half and half
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Spray 8 inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Pulse crackers, bread, and butter in food processor until coarsely ground.

Cut each ear in half crosswise. Stand ear on its cut, flat end and, using chef's knife, cut off kernels. Repeat with remaining ears. Bring kernels, half and half, salt, and pepper to boil in large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, until corn is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Puree 2 cups corn mixture in blender until thick and smooth. Return puree to cooked corn and stir to combine. Transfer corn mixture to prepared dish. Top with crumb mixture and bake until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes.

MAKE AHEAD: Once transferred to baking dish in step 3, filling can be refrigerated, covered, for up to three days. Refrigerate crumb topping separately. Bring filling to room temperature, cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Increase temperature to 450 degrees, remove foil, top with crumb mixture, and bake until golden brown 7 to 10 minutes.