Chef Brett’s Tomato and Corn Pie
1/3 cup mayonnaise (Heavy Duty mayo like Dukes work best)
4 oz of diced green chili or steamed and seeded jalapeno (leave out the chili is you don’t like the heat)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 3/4 pounds beefsteak tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn (from about 3 ears), coarsely chopped by hand
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
7ounces coarsely grated white Cheddar (1 3/4 cups)
2 pie crusts (top and bottom)
Preheat oven to 400°F with rack on the lower oven and a pizza stone. Puree together mayonnaise, chilis and lemon juice.
Cut an X in bottom of each tomato and blanch in a large pot of boiling water 10 seconds. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to cool. Peel tomatoes, then slice crosswise ¼-inch-thick and gently remove seeds and extra juices (lightly salt the tomatoes and place in a colander above a bowl and let the tomatoes drain for one hour). Arrange half of tomatoes in pie crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, one tablespoon basil, 1/2 tablespoon chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and some of grated cheese. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives, salt, cheese, and pepper. Pour lemon chili mayonnaise over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Cover with pie crust top. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust and brush crust with melted butter (2 teaspoons). Bake pie on the pizza stone on the lower rack of the oven at 400 for 20 minutes. Lower oven to 325 and continue to bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack for 25-30 min. Serve warm or at room temperature.
