Shrimp on Corn Pudding with Buttermilk White Sauce

To download a copy of the recipe for Shrimp on Corn Pudding with Buttermilk White Sauce, click HERE. 

If you’ve never heard of corn pudding before, you might be tempted to think it must be a dessert item. As it happens, corn pudding is an easy, versatile side dish made with corn and eggs, a great gift from our friends in the south.

In this week’s recipe, we’ll make a meal out of our corn pudding by adding some brined shrimp and topping it off with a buttermilk white sauce. In the photo at the top, I’ve added oven fried green tomatoes – a healthier take on another southern classic – as a side dish. You can see that recipe at Oven Fried Green Tomatoes, and can download a copy of the recipe by clicking HERE.

This recipe makes six servings.

We’ll start by brining our shrimp.

Combine ½ cup kosher salt; 2 crushed bay leaves; and the juice of ½ lemon (about 1 Tbsp) with two quarts of water. Place 1-1/2 pounds of peeled, uncooked shrimp in the liquid and let brine for about 30 minutes. Drain well when done.

While the shrimp are brining, we’ll start our corn pudding batter.

Heat a little olive oil and butter substitute in a large sauté pan and sauté 4 cups of corn; ¾ cup of finely chopped onion; and ¾ cup of finely chopped red pepper. (Fresh corn is best, but frozen will work if fresh is not available. If you do use frozen, be sure you thaw and dry the corn before putting it in the pan to sauté.) When done, set the sautéed vegetables aside to cool.

Begin preheating the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine ¾ cup corn meal (fine grain or medium, not coarse); 1 Tbsp sugar; 1 tsp kosher salt; ¾ tsp fresh ground black pepper; 2 tsp dried parsley; 1 tsp dried oregano; and 1 tsp dried thyme.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup reduced-fat buttermilk; ¼ cup melted butter substitute; 4 egg-substitute eggs; and 2 Tbsp hot sauce.

Add the cooled corn mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Add the egg mixture to the corn mixture and mix till combined.

Divide the corn mixture into two 9” pie pans that were lightly sprayed with cooking spray.

Sprinkle a little Panko on top of each corn pudding mixture.

Bake the corn puddings until golden and a knife inserted halfway between the center and the edge comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

While the corn pudding is baking, we can cook the shrimp.

Sauté the brined shrimp until both sides are cooked. Set aside when done.

While the corn puddings finish baking, make the buttermilk white sauce as follows:

In the same sauté pan, melt 1-1/2 Tbsp of butter substitute. Add 3 Tbsp of all-purpose flour and stir to combine.

Cook over a low heat for about 1 minute till a slightly browned roux forms.

Gradually add 1 cup of buttermilk, stirring constantly, until a thickened sauce forms.

Add 1 tsp dried parsley; ¼ tsp dried dill; ½ tsp kosher salt; pinch of garlic powder; and a pinch fresh ground black pepper and stir till combined. Remove from the heat.

To serve:

After the corn pudding has finished baking and has rested for about 10 minutes, top with the cooked shrimp.

Cut each pie pan into three equal portions for a total of six portions, and top the shrimp and corn pudding with some of the white sauce. Serve warm or hot with a vegetable side dish.

To download a copy of the recipe for Shrimp on Corn Pudding with Buttermilk White Sauce, click HERE.

You’ll also probably like knowing the leftovers save very well too!

Hope you enjoy this twist on a great traditional southern comfort food! And that you’ll visit again next week for another delicious, home cooking recipe! Till then, stay well, keep it about the food, and always remember to kiss the cook. ;-)