Recipe courtesy www.fabulousfoods.com

This intensely flavorful, velvety side dish is the perfect accompaniment to any Southwestern meal.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons corn oil
  
  
• 4 cups fresh corn (about 6 ears)
  
  
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped finely
  
  
• 2 jalapeños, chopped finely
  
  
• 1 cup coconut milk
  
  
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
  
  
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
  
  
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  
  
• 1 cup finely chopped scallions
  
  
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
  
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
  
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease an 8-inch square baking or casserole dish. A cast-iron pan would work here too (in fact, to cut down on dishes, you can sauté the corn in a cast-iron pan and later use it to bake the batter).

Sauté the corn, bell pepper, and jalapeños with corn oil in a large skillet for 10 - 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. The corn should be very lightly browned. Meanwhile, stir together the cornstarch and coconut milk until the cornstarch has mostly dissolved.

When the corn and the peppers are ready, transfer 2 cups of them to a blender or food processor. Add the coconut milk and cornstarch mixture, and pulse about 20 times, until the mixture is mostly pureed but not completely smooth.

Transfer to a large mixing bowl and mix with the remaining corn, cornmeal, maple syrup, scallions, cilantro, salt, and cayenne.

Pour the batter into a baking dish (or your cast-iron pan) and bake for 40 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.