Baking with Corn

Recipe: Cheesy, Crunchy Corn Bake

Babies have sixth sense...

I'm sure...

Have you noticed how just when you have to do some really important work and are running short of time, the peacefully sleeping baby wakes up crying?

It was the exact same case when I was trying to complete baking and take the photos for this post... (and the same case every morning too...)

There was just one more day for the Freedom Tree competition and this was the last possible time that I would be able to work on the recipe and the photos as I have to go to work tomorrow. There was just 10 more minutes of good light for photography and the dish needed another 5 minutes in the oven.

At that exact moment, my youngest son who was napping woke up suddenly and was really cranky and inconsolable....
 

My husband J agreed to take care of the cranky little boy for some time and I rushed to get the camera and decide the plates, props etc...

My elder son got excited seeing all this as he loves to help me with the photoshoot :) In fact, he held up the spoon for the last photo. The little one, on the other hand, decided to vent out his anger by lying on the floor and rolling... and giving J a hard time. What a contrast between the brothers!

Thankfully, I got some decent photos in a few clicks. I have to say that this was one of my fastest food photography sessions... For the first time, I found it easier to shoot in Tv mode. I usually shoot in Av or fully manual mode. Tv mode was actually easier especially since the light was dimming fast.


So here's my entry to entry to the IFBM and Freedom Tree Baking Contest.

CHEESY CRUNCHY CORN BAKE
serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1) Fresh Corn kernels - 1 cup
2) Egg - 1
3) Soy sauce - 2 Tbsp
4) Ketchup - 1 Tbsp
5) Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
6) Pepper - 1/4 tsp
7) Cornflour - 2-3 Tbsp
8) Corn flakes - a handful
9) Fried bacon or sausages cut into small pieces - a handful (optional)
10) Olive oil - 3 Tbsp
11) Mozzarella cheese - grated - 1/2 cup
12) Oregano - 1/4 tsp
13) Salt to taste

Method:

Cook the corn kernels in a heavy bottomed pan over the stove top with sufficient water and salt until done.

Beat the egg and mix in soy sauce, ketchup, chilli powder, pepper, salt. Pour this over the cooked corn kernels and mix well.

Add cornflour to this till all the watery sauces have been soaked up and it forms a nice coating on the corn kernels.

Add Cornflakes and mix. Add the fried bacon or sausages, if using.

Spread this mixture on ur baking tray and drizzle olive oil over it and mix well

Preheat oven to 250 degrees C and bake for 20 minutes.

Top with grated mozzarella cheese and oregano and bake for another 5 minutes till the cheese is melted.

Serve hot.

This makes an interesting dish to accompany some juicy baked chicken or pasta in red sauce. The warm flavours along with the lightly sweet and juicy corn kernels and the crunch of the corn flakes is like a party in your mouth :)