This is my dad’s recipe for creamed corn. He loved it and had strong opinions about how it should be made. Basically, it needed to be exactly like his mother made it. Of course. I made notes the last time I cooked it for him. And if you have a few ears of corn this summer, it’s well worth making this oldie but goodie.
I’ll be honest, creamed corn was never part of my repertoire, but when I would cook it for my dad I’d end up saying to myself, “this is absolutely delicious.” Needs some chives, but yeah, sign me up. He would call it “2-2-1 creamed corn” and that was because you use 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of flour, and 1 cup of milk before adding fresh corn kernels. That’s how he remembered the ratio.
My dad liked to go to Andy’s Orchard, close to his house. Arguably, the source of some of the best fruit in California. He was thrilled to buy peaches from the seconds bin at a discount. He’d pick up some ears of corn while he was out as well, and this defined peak summer for him. It also meant it was creamed corn season. The process to make it couldn’t be simpler, so let’s get into it.
Creamed Corn Ingredients
- Butter
- Flour
- Milk
- Fresh corn
- Salt
- Chives (my addition)
Variations
I’ll (mostly) resist the urge to fancy everything up by adding an endless list of ways to riff on creamed corn. My dad would likely argue the chives are already out of bounds. But there are a thousand different ways to have fun with this recipe. I can imagine a cacio e pepe version with dialed up black pepper and a shower of grated Parmesan. Or finish it with a swirl of pesto, or a few roasted cherry tomatoes. If you like some kick, think about all the ways to explore that – drizzle of chile oil, or a spoonful of chili crisp. Or work a bit of curry paste into the flour and milk at the beginning of the process. You get the idea.
More Corn Recipes
- Coconut Corn Salad
- Miso Corn Chowder
- 11 Ways to Cook Corn on the Cob
- Skillet Cornbread
Continue reading Creamed Corn on 101 Cookbooks
