One of my favorite contemporary cookbooks is Open Kitchen, by Susan Spungen, published in 2020. Ms. Spungen, from Wikipedia, “is an American food writer, editor, and food stylist. Spungen was founding food editor and editorial director of food at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, publisher of Martha Stewart Living magazine, from 1991 to 2003.”

Her recipes are unique and creative without being crazy or challenging. On the blog I’ve already presented Rosey Harissa Chicken, A Summer Vegetable Galette, and a Soba Salad with Strawberries. All amazing vibrant dishes.

Corn puddings originate from the southern states of the U.S. and I don’t particularly enjoy them. They’re typically over-sweetened, which to me is ridiculous when corn is naturally sweet. It’s like putting marshmallows on sweet potatoes. (Sorry!)

Recipes also often use pre-packed cornbread mixes and creamed corn. This Spungen recipe uses corn from cobs, plus tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and squash blossoms. Obviously it’s best to make this pudding in mid to late summer, when gardens are flourishing and corn is at its sweetest.

From the author: “This pudding is just the essence of August, and it could serve as a main course with salad or alongside any kind of grilled meat or fish for dinner.”

Summer Corn Pudding

Unsalted butter, for the baking dish
4 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs (about 5 cups) plus 1 more ear for the top
2 cups milk
4 large eggs
1 cup sliced trimmed scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon plus a pinch of salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for the top
3/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon olive oil
6 squash blossoms, (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 3-quart baking dish and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine 2 cups of the corn kernels, the milk and eggs in a blender and blend until smooth.

Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the remaining corn kernels, the scallions, thyme, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the cayenne, and cheese. Stir with a rubber spatula until well combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes and extra ear of corn with the oil and the pinch of salt. Spread out, tomatoes cut-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven along with the corn pudding.

Remove the squash blossoms from the stems and discard the pistils. Tear vertically into 2 or 3 pieces each.

After 20 minutes, remove both the pudding and the tomatoes from the oven. Sprinkle more cheese over the top and scatter the squash blossoms and tomato-corn mixture on the surface. Return to the oven and bake until just set, about another 20 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature. (I prefer warm so the pudding is cheesy.)

This pudding is really like cooking polenta in the oven, since there’s no flour or leavening. That’s probably why Ms. Spungen calls this a pudding!

And it works! I don’t understand the tomatoes on top, but it is all very good.