Baked Tomatoes and Corn

10 large, ripe tomatoes
10 cups corn kernels, scraped from about 2 dozen young and tender ears
1 cup unsalted butter, melted (2 sticks)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup whipping cream (or chicken broth)
2 cups fine bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Plunge tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds, then slip off the skins. Core and slice tomatoes. Line a 3-quart baking pan with the slices. Spread some corn over the tomatoes.

Mix together butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg, drizzling some over the tomatoes. Continue layering until corn and tomatoes are used up, but save a little of the butter mixture for the top.

Pour cream or broth evenly over layers, then sprinkle bread crumbs over the top and drizzle with remaining butter mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes or until crumbs are brown and the casserole is bubbling.

Makes 12 hearty servings