Corn Pudding with Bacon and Leeks

From “I Love Corn” by Lisa Skye.

• 5 slices uncooked bacon, chopped roughly
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 ears fresh corn, kernels removed (2 to 21/2 cups)
• 1 cup leeks, white part only, cleaned and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped roughly
• 1/3 cup red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Tabasco
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-by-8-by-2-inch casserole dish (or similar size) with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside. Sauté the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel. Drain two-thirds of the bacon fat out of the skillet and add the olive oil to the remaining bacon fat. Add the corn, leeks, garlic and red bell pepper. Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are just cooked. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the bacon bits and mix until well-incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then season with the Tabasco to your preferred level of heat. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cream, egg yolks, mustard powder, Worcestershire, parsley and chives. Place the corn mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Pour the cream mixture over the top and bake for 55 minutes. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes, then serve hot.

Serves 8.

Per serving: 313 calories; 29 g fat (16 g saturated fat; 83 percent calories from fat); 10 g carbohydrates; 166 mg cholesterol; 172 mg sodium; 5 g protein; 1 g fiber.