Creamed Corn 
Serves 6 • Cooking Time 3 to 4 hours on Low • Slow Cooker Size 4 to 7 Quarts
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Once you taste our healthy slow-cooker version of creamed corn—with its deep flavor, creamy texture, and simple ingredient list—you’ll never go back to using the canned alternative. To get the best in both texture and flavor, we used a combination of whole kernels cut from the cobs and grated corn. The kernels became tender yet maintained a slight bite owing to the gentle cooking environment of the slow cooker, and the grated corn contributed just the right thickness. A combination of evaporated milk and cornstarch gave us the thickening power and heat stability of a heavier dairy product, such as cream, while keeping the recipe low in fat. A single slice of bacon, discarded after cooking, imparted a rich and smoky quality to the finished corn without too many additional calories. Don’t forget to scrape the cobs with the back of a knife to collect the flavorful corn pulp and “milk” for extra body before discarding them. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
4 |
ears corn, husks and silk removed |
1 |
shallot, minced |
2 |
tablespoons unsalted butter |
1 |
garlic clove, minced |
Pinch cayenne pepper |
|
1 |
(12-ounce) can 2 percent low-fat evaporated milk |
2 |
tablespoons cornstarch |
1 |
slice bacon |
2 |
sprigs fresh thyme |
Salt and pepper |
1. Cut kernels from 3 ears corn into bowl, reserving cobs. Grate remaining 1 ear corn over large holes of box grater into bowl, reserving cob. Using back of butter knife, firmly scrape pulp and milk from cobs into bowl. Add corn to slow cooker; discard cobs.
2. Microwave shallot, butter, garlic, and cayenne in bowl, stirring occasionally, until shallot is softened, about 2 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in evaporated milk, cornstarch, bacon, thyme sprigs, ½ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook until corn is tender, 3 to 4 hours on low.
3. Discard bacon and thyme sprigs. Whisk corn mixture to recombine and let rest until fully set, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Per serving:
Cal 170
Fat 8g
Sat Fat 3g
Chol 20mg
Carb 20g
Protein 7g
Fiber 1g
Sodium 290mg