Combine sugar, oil and egg in mixing bowl and stir until well mixed. Stir in buttermilk. Add corn, jalapeno, shallot, flour, cornmeal, baking soda and salt and stir until well mixed. Let batter rest 15 minutes.

Ladle batter into dozen paper-lined or greased muffin cups 0.875ths full. Bake at 375 degrees until lightly browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes before turning out on rack to cool to room temperature. (Muffins can be made several hours ahead or frozen up to 1 month.) To serve, reheat on baking sheet at 300 degrees 10 minutes. Serve warm.

[12 muffins. Each muffin: 205 calories; 177 mg sodium; 18 mg cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.19 gram fiber. ]

Notes: Leftover cooked corn can be substituted for the raw kernels, though the crunch won't be the same.

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