Corn Pudding

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13-by-9-inch baking dish and set aside. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the corn with only enough milk to make a smooth puree, not to exceed 1 cup. With the machine running, add egg yolks, one at a time, and process 30 seconds after each addition. With the machine running, add the sugar a little at a time and continue processing until mixture is lighter in color and sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.

Add butter and process until smooth.

Transfer to a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder; fold into corn mixture. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and fold into corn mixture, alternating with the shredded cheese.

Pour into the prepared baking dish and garnish with strips of chile and red bell pepper.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

·The poblano chile is dark green, five to six inches long, and triangular in shape, with a wide stem end. Strips of roasted poblanos are called rajas. Roast until charred and blistered in a broiler or over an open flame, using tongs. Put in a paper bag and allow them to sweat for 10 to 15 minutes. Using rubber gloves, peel off the charred outer skin. (Do not peel roasted chiles under running water or most of the roasted flavor will be lost.)

Cut off the stem end and slice the peppers lengthwise into thin, 1/4-inch strips. Be careful not to rub your eyes, nose, or mouth when handling chiles, as they will burn.·You can use any combination of vegetables in the corn pudding, Ravago says, as long as the quantities are the same as for the corn. Just make sure the vegetables are fresh, as frozen will give off too much water.·The corn pudding is delicious served warm or at room temperature, but Ravago suggests baking as close to serving as possible, as the soufflélike consistency will fall as it cools. • The corn pudding can also be made in individual serving sizes. Simply bake in small ramekins.