Budín de Elote Oaxaqueño

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy skillet for the rajas
• •Tongs for charring the chiles
• •Food processor or metate for grinding the corn
• •Stand mixer or hand mixer for the egg whites
• •9 by 13 inch baking dish or wide barro cazuela of equal capacity
• •Sharp knife for cutting the corn off the cob

Instructions

1. 1

   Char the poblanos

   Set the chiles poblano directly over an open gas flame or under a hot broiler. Turn them with tongs as the skin blackens and blisters on every side. You want the skin completely charred, not just spotted. Drop them into a bowl, cover with a plate, and let them sweat for 10 minutes. The trapped warmth lifts the skin from the flesh.

   Do not rinse the chiles under water to peel them. Water washes the smoke flavor down the drain. Use your fingers and a paring knife and accept that a little char will stay behind. That char is the dish.
2. 2

   Make the rajas

   Peel the blistered skin off each chile, then stem, seed, and slice them into strips about a quarter inch wide. Heat the lard in a skillet over medium. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and the rajas. Cook 3 more minutes, until the onion turns golden at the edges and the kitchen smells like a Oaxacan mercado on Saturday morning. Season with a generous pinch of salt. Set aside.

3. 3

   Cut and grind the corn

   Stand each ear of corn on its end and slice down the cob with a sharp knife to release the kernels. You should have about 6 cups. The senoras in the Mercado de Abastos do this on a metate, and the metate gives you a coarser, more rustic texture that no machine can match. If you do not have one, a food processor works. Pulse the kernels in batches until you have a thick, chunky puree, not a smooth liquid. Texture is what makes a budin and not a flan.

4. 4

   Build the batter

   Transfer the corn puree to a large bowl. Add the egg yolks, milk, melted butter, sugar, masa harina, baking powder, and salt. Stir until everything is incorporated. The masa harina is the secret. It tightens the batter and pulls the corn flavor forward. Without it the budin sets weak and watery.

5. 5

   Whip and fold the whites

   In a clean dry bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks. Not stiff, soft. Stiff peaks break when you fold them in. Add a third of the whites to the corn batter and stir hard to lighten it. Then fold in the rest in two additions, cutting down through the center of the bowl and lifting up the side. Stop the moment you no longer see streaks. Overmixing collapses the air and the budin will bake dense.

   The whites are what give the budin its lift. Skip them and you have a heavy corn casserole. Asi se hace y punto.
6. 6

   Layer the budin

   Heat the oven to 350F. Generously butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish or a wide barro cazuela of equal capacity. Pour half the batter into the dish and smooth it. Scatter the rajas evenly across the surface. Pull the quesillo into thin strands the way you would for a quesadilla and lay them across the rajas in a generous layer. Pour the remaining batter on top and smooth it gently. The cheese should be sealed inside, not exposed.

7. 7

   Bake until set

   Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. The top should be deep golden, slightly cracked, and pulling away from the sides of the dish. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean except for a little melted cheese. If the top browns before the center sets, tent loosely with foil and keep going. Do not pull it early. A budin that wobbles in the middle will collapse on the plate.

8. 8

   Rest and serve

   Let the budin rest for 15 minutes before cutting. This is not optional. The eggs and corn need to settle or the slice will fall apart. Cut into squares, serve in the cazuela, and pass the crema and queso fresco at the table. A few epazote leaves on top if you have them. Recetas probadas y garantizadas.

Chef Tips

• •Buy your corn the day you bake the budin. Corn loses sugar and tenderness within hours of being picked, and a budin made from week-old supermarket corn will taste like cardboard. Preguntale a las senoras del mercado which ears are tiernos.
• •If you cannot find quesillo, mozzarella is the closest substitute. It is a compromise, not an upgrade. The salty edge of true Oaxacan cheese is what balances the sweetness of the corn and you will notice the difference.
• •Serve the budin in the cazuela you baked it in. The clay holds the heat at the table and the family-style presentation is part of the dish. Individual ramekins are for hotel buffets, not for Oaxacan home cooking.
• •Leftovers are excellent for breakfast the next morning, sliced and crisped in a little butter on a comal, served with salsa verde and a fried egg on top.

Advance Preparation

• •The poblano rajas can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Bring them to room temperature before assembling the budin.
• •The corn can be cut off the cob a few hours ahead and refrigerated, but do not grind it until you are ready to bake. Ground corn loses its texture and turns watery within an hour.
• •Once baked, the budin keeps refrigerated for three days. Reheat covered in a 325F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. It does not freeze well because the egg structure breaks and the texture turns spongy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 290g)