Fall Corn Pudding with White Cheddar and Thyme

• total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing

1 onion, finely chopped

2 teaspoons minced thyme

4 cups frozen corn kernels (about 20 ounces), thawed

1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

5 large eggs

3 cups half-and-half

1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9-by-13-inch shallow ceramic baking dish. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion and thyme and cook over moderate heat until the onion is softened, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the corn and cornmeal and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the half-and-half. In a blender or food processor, combine 1 cup of the custard with 1 cup of the corn mixture and puree until smooth. Whisk the puree into the custard. Then stir in the corn mixture, cheese, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper until well blended.

Spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish and bake for about 40 minutes, until the pudding is slightly puffed and just starting to brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.