Red Pepper and Corn Spoon Bread - Ohio Eggs

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, divided

½ cup finely diced red pepper

¼ cup thinly sliced green onion

2 cups milk

1 ½ cups corn

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

Salt

1/8-1/4 teaspoon Chipotle pepper, depending on your taste

1 ¼ cup sharp cheddar cheese, divided

4 large eggs, separated

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 2-quart casserole with non-stick cooking spray.
In a small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and sauté the red pepper and green onion until they start to soften. Let cool to room temperature.
In a medium saucepan, stir together the remaining tablespoon of butter, milk, corn, cornmeal, salt to taste and Chipotle pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and then lower heat and cook stirring often until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and the cooled red pepper and green onions. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes and then stir in the egg yolks.
With a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form soft peaks. Gently fold 1/3 of the egg whites at a time into the cornmeal mixture with a rubber spatula. Pour into the prepared casserole. Top with remaining ¼ cup of cheddar cheese.
Place the uncovered casserole in the oven and reduce the temperature to 375 degrees. Bake until lightly browned on the top, about 25-30 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.