Holiday Sides: Parmesan Crusted Creamed Corn

Serves 8 to 10

What you need

6 TBL (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (Trader Joes has a good one)
Two 16-oz bags frozen white corn, defrosted
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3 TBL all-purpose flour

What to do

1. Brush a 13 X 9-inch baking dish with some of the butter. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the Parmesan over the bottom of the dish and tilt so the cheese is evenly distributed and adheres to the butter.
2. In a 4-quart saucepan, heat the cream until it begins to boil. Add the corn, salt, and sugar and heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is almost at a boil.
3. In the meantime, make a paste out of the remaining melted butter and the flour. Stir it into the mixture in the saucepan and cook until thickened and the liquid does come to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the mixture to the prepared dish, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup of cheese. (DO-AHEAD: At this point, you can let cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the corn dish until bubbling and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Trying to watch the calories? Try whole milk. It’s not as luxurious but it does the job.