Corn Souffle

WP. Article sazys easy ways to add heft to the souffle include an after-oven topping of fresh crabmeat, smoked mussels or steamed shrimp, or matchsticks of dressed jicama.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large ears fresh corn
1/4 poblano chile pepper, seeded and diced
2 ounces Gruyère cheese, diced
3 large eggs
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 stems fresh chives, minced and divided

Instructions

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Grease ramekins (1/2 to 1 cup ) with butter and place on a baking sheet. Can also be baked in 4-cup baking dish, adjust baking time as needed.

2. Discard the husks and all silk of the corn. Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the cobs (reserve the cobs for making broth, if desired; see related recipe). You should have 2 1/2 to 3 cups of kernels, which you can transfer to a blender as you work.

3. In the pitcher of the blender, combine the corn kernels, poblano, cheese, eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Add three-quarters of the chives and pulse a few times just to incorporate.

4. Divide the souffle mixture among the ramekins. Scatter the remaining chives on top of each portion. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until puffed, golden brown on top and more set than jiggly. (If the ramekins are different sizes, you may need to pull the smaller ones out after 20 minutes.)

5. Remove the ramekins from the oven and serve right away.