Honestly, I haven't thought about the details of the first Thanksgiving since probably grade school (a long, long time ago). For this post, I decided to do a little homework, which led to today's side dish recipe (along with some ironic asides). The recipe I'll get to shortly. First, some basic American history (asides included).
As the story goes…
An American Indian named Samoset entered a village of people from England. These Pilgrims were not in good condition. They lived in dirt-covered shelters, many of them had died during the hard winter, and they were running short on food. (No, they were not part of Occupy Plymouth. The year was 1621. :))
Clearly, these early colonists needed help. So Samoset returned to his tribe and came back with Squanto, who could speak better English. Squanto remained with the Pilgrims for the next few months and taught them how to hunt deer, where to fish and find berries, and how to cultivate "sacred maize" by digging holes in the ground, dropping in some corn kernels and small fish, and covering the holes. (In other words, Squanto was one cool dude. I'm seeing The Squanto Story, starring Adam Beach. Good casting, right? He is such a cutie.)
By the time fall arrived, the Pilgrims were getting along much better, thanks to the help they'd received.
(Yes, I know! Given the terrible things that came to pass in our nation's history with the Native Americans, this has to strike you as a case of "no good deed goes unpunished," and we do recognize that history, too.)
With the coming of fall, the Pilgrims decided to celebrate their blessings with a feast that was common in rural England. Those who helped reap the fields took part in the Harvest Home, observed on last day of bringing in the crops. This feast coincided with the Green Corn Festival, which Native Americans in that region had been celebrating long before the Pilgrims' arrival. This feast gave thanks for the ripening of maize, one of the three sisters in Native American agricultural traditions. (The other two sisters are beans and squash. Okay, that isn't ironic. But it is interesting!)
And so, with giving thanks for harvest blessings being the primary point here (along with Squanto's potentially cinematic story).
I am happy to share my own maize recipe with you. (No, I did not make it for the first Thanksgiving. I'm not that old... :)) But Marc and I do sincerely hope that you enjoy the blessings of this year’s harvest in your home.
CLEO COYLE’S
THANKSGIVING
CORN CASSEROLE
A few recipe notes...
My husband and I often enjoy this recipe in the late fall. Its cheesy goodness is incredibly satisfying on a chilly day, and it pairs well with most meat entrees. Because my recipe uses frozen corn, I make it all winter. I like to vary the recipe, too, sometimes using a frozen corn blend, sometimes frozen mixed vegetables.
WHICH CHEESE, PLEASE?
The Pepper Jack Cheese adds a nice zing of spicy flavor to the casserole. If you enjoy Tex-Mex dishes, you'll love the use of Pepper Jack here. However, if you'd rather keep the recipe totally creamy and cheesy and not spicy in any way, simply replace the Pepper Jack with regular Monterey Jack. Or you can ask Avery Aames for advice!
Our favorite frozen corn and veggie mix to use with this casserole is a "Southwestern" blend that includes red and green peppers and even black beans, so don't be afraid to experiment and add a favorite cooked legume to our recipe if you can't locate a similar frozen veggie blend.
THE CANNED CORN OPTION
Finally, if you'd rather make a recipe that uses canned corn, I've got you covered, too! Mary Jane Maffini shared a wonderful canned corn casserole recipe earlier this year. Click here to see that one.
Riley Adams (aka Elizabeth S. Craig) contributed a corn pudding recipe, as well. For Riley's corn pudding recipe, click here.
Cleo Coyle's
Corn Casserole
To download this recipe in a free PDF that you can print, save, or share, click here.
Makes one 1-1/2 quart casserole side dish,
about 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
2 slices bacon, chopped
1 large white onion, chopped
1 (12-ounce) bag frozen corn or a corn + vegetable and bean mixture (See my suggestion above)
2 Tablespoons Wondra flour (See my note below.)
1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
2 Tablespoons butter, plus a little more to coat the casserole dish
8 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, grated (If pre-sliced from deli, simply break up into small pieces)
1 egg, lightly beaten with fork
* Wondra flour note: If you've never used Wondra, look for its blue cardboard canister in the same grocery store aisle that shelves all-purpose flour. It's a handy little helper for thickening gravies and making quick sauces. If you can't find it, use regular flour and stir like crazy to prevent lumps. Learn more here.
Step 1: Quick prep: First preheat your oven to 350º F. Butter a casserole dish that holds at least 1-1/2 quarts and set aside.
Step 2: Browning your bacon: Slowly cook the chopped bacon in a deep saucepan until brown. Add the chopped white onion. Sweat the onions until they turn a light brown. Stir in the 12-ounce bag of frozen corn (or mixed veggie blend). Continue cooking and stirring over low heat for about a minute. Pour into your buttered casserole dish. Set aside.
Step 3: How to make cheese sauce (and speak French):
(a) In a little bowl, cream the 2 T butter with the 2 T Wondra flour to make a paste. Congratulations, you have just created the classic French "kneaded butter," aka buerre manié. Set aside this little paste and pull out a clean saucepan.
(To learn why "kneaded butter" is a great technique for making sauces click here.)
(b) Pour your 1 cup of milk into the saucepan and warm it well. Whisk the butter-flour paste into the warm milk, a little at a time until dissolved. Bring milk up to a simmer and continue whisking and simmering for 1 to 3 minutes. When the sauce thickens, remove from heat and quickly stir in 6 ounces of your grated cheese. Mix well. When the cheese is melted and the sauce velvety, it's done.
Step 4: Assemble and bake: Now you can assemble the casserole. Into the casserole dish with the veggies (from Step 2), stir the lightly beaten egg. (The veggies should now be cool enough for you to add the egg without cooking it, which is why you wait until this step.)
Pour the cheese sauce over the veggies and mix well. Top with the remaining 2 ounces or so of grated (or broken up) cheese, and bake in the center of your preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes (depending on your oven). The casserole is done when you see the top is brown and crusty and the edges are bubbling. Allow to cool at least five minutes to firm up a bit. Serve warm and...
Have a Happy
Thanksgiving!
May we all count our
blessings and...
Eat with joy!
~ Cleo Coyle, author of
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The Ghost and
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