Start to finish: 1 hour 10 minutes (45 active)
Servings: 6

2 cups fresh corn kernels
2 cups buttermilk
2/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, optional
4 ounces extra sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
one 4.5 ounce can chopped green chiles, drained
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

In a blender, puree 1 cup of the corn with 1 cup of the buttermilk until smooth.

Preheat oven to 425° F. In a medium saucepan stir together the pureed corn with the remaining buttermilk, cornmeal, butter, salt and cayenne, if using, and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in the cheese, chiles and remaining 1 cup corn kernels and let cool while you beat the egg whites..

In a bowl with electric beaters beat the whites with a pinch of salt until they are frothy, add the cream of tartar and beat until they form soft peaks. Add the yolks to the cornmeal mixture, whisking constantly. Stir one fourth of the whites into the cornmeal mixture and then fold in the remaining whites gently, until they are just incorporated. Spread the mixture evenly in a buttered shallow 8 – inch square baking dish and bake on a rack in the lower third of the oven, until set 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.