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Creamed Bayou La Batre Crab over Silver Queen Corn Bread Pudding

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Ingredients:

1 pound fresh Bayou La Batre jumbo lump blue crab meat, picked
3 cups cubed French bread, ¼-inch cubes
¾ cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup Vidalia onions, diced fine
2 ounces unsalted butter
½ teaspoon fresh thyme, leaves removed from stems
½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, leaves removed from stem and chopped fine
5 cups (6-8 ears) Silver Queen sweet corn (kernels removed from cob)
3 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
4 extra-large eggs
1 pint half & half
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
½ teaspoon kosher salt to taste

Fresh-cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Shuck and remove silk from corn with a small scrub brush. Slice kernels from cob and set aside. Dice the onion fine. Add butter to skillet and sweat onions for 3 minutes. Add chopped herbs, 2 cups heavy cream and corn. Heat creamed corn mixture in a skillet over medium-high heat, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, until slightly thick. Check seasoning frequently. If corn is not sweet enough, add a bit of honey to sweeten pudding batter. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine baking powder and corn meal. Make a well in the meal.

In a second bowl, add the cracked eggs and half & half and whisk the wet mixture together. Temper the cool egg mixture with a ladle of the hot creamed corn. When mixture has cooled, slowly whisk into the cornmeal and blend until smooth. Add the cubed bread and grated cheese and fold into mixture. Spray muffin pan with pan spray, then pour soaked bread and batter into muffin pan, filling it ¾ full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes, until mixture is firm. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing from muffin pan.

In a medium-size skillet, add remaining cup of heavy whipping cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cooking on very low heat for 7-10 minutes, until slightly thick. Whisk frequently. Add crabmeat to the slightly thickened cream and gently stir to coat and warm the crabmeat. Avoid breaking up lumps. Add fresh-cracked pepper and salt to taste. Spoon creamed crab over the cornbread pudding portions.

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