White Corn Pudding

• 4 cups frozen white corn, thawed
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• Dash cayenne
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallot
• 1 cup finely shredded reduced fat cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Cook the thawed corn in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain. Reserve 1 cup of the corn and place the remaining 3 cups in a blender or large food processor with a sharp blade. Purée until smooth. Add the cream and purée until smooth. Add the egg and purée again until completely smooth. Mix the sugar, sea salt, white pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Add the spices to the corn and cream mixture and purée until combined. Add the chives and purée again until completely mixed and smooth. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter begins to bubble, add the shallots and sauté until they are just beginning to brown and become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved corn to the pan and heat through. Pour the corn and cream purée into a large bowl, then add the warm shallots and corn and mix well. Stir in the cheese and mix well.

Pour the mixture into a buttered 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking dish set inside a sheet pan or large roasting pan filled with hot water. Bake for 1 hour or until set and slightly golden on top. Serve hot or warm.