Cheesy Corn and Kale Bake

Recipe provided by Loon Organics via Kate in the kitchen

Ingredients

1 red bell pepper, diced
1 medium leek, sliced thin (or an onion, if you wish)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large bunch of curly leaf kale, washed and spun dry then chopped
4 cups fresh corn kernels
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. All Purpose flour
1 cup milk (I used soy)
1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese (or mix it up a bit with pepper jack)
1 Tbsp. cream cheese (I used sour cream)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°
   
2. In a deep cast iron skillet, or other oven proof skillet, sauté the leek and pepper in a bit of olive oil until soft. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about a minute or two. Add in the kale and stir until it’s coated with the oil, then cover the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Scrape veggies in to a bowl and set aside.
   
3. In same pan, melt the butter, then add the flour and stir to make a roux. Cook, stirring, for about two minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth, then cook, stirring constantly until the mixture is very thick. It may look a bit reddish brown from the pepper, but that’s just fine.
   
4. Mix the cheese in a little at a time until you have a nice cheese sauce, stir in the cream cheese and cooked pepper mix, and then the corn kernels. It will be very thick.
   
5. Season with salt, pepper and the cayenne and spread it evenly in the pan. Place the pan, uncovered, in to the oven and bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.