Savory Corn Cakes
You can whip up these little gems in just 20 minutes, any time
of day or night. They can be a light supper in and of themselves,
or a first course or side dish for a more complex meal.
* Frozen, defrosted corn works perfectly well in these
pancakes.
2 teaspoons butter
1/4 cup finely minced red bell pepper
2 cups corn
1/4 cup minced scallions
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
Oil or butter for the pan
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
Cilantro leaves
Chipotle Cream (recipe follows)
1/4 cup finely minced red bell pepper
2 cups corn
1/4 cup minced scallions
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
Oil or butter for the pan
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
Cilantro leaves
Chipotle Cream (recipe follows)
- Melt the butter in a small skillet. Add the bell pepper and corn, and sauté over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the scallions, and set aside.
- Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Make a well in the center.
- Beat together the eggs and buttermilk until frothy. Pour this and the corn mixture from Step 1 into the well in the center of the dry ingredients, and stir briefly until everything is combined. (Don't overmix.)
- Lightly grease a hot skillet or griddle with butter or oil, and fry the corn cakes for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden. Serve hot, topped with a few cilantro leaves and a drizzle of room-temperature Chipotle Cream, if desired.
Chipotle Cream
Chipotle
chiles are smoked, dried jalapeños. They most commonly come in
cans, packed in a vinegar preparation called adobo sauce. A little
bit of canned chipotles-in-adobo goes a very long way, both in
terms of its heat and its powerful smoky essence. In this sauce,
sour cream and/or yogurt create a soothing, luxurious vehicle for
the chipotle flavor.
* Serve this wherever it seems appropriate--on any egg dish, with beans, rice, cornmeal preparations, or drizzled onto soups.
1 cup sour cream or yogurt (or a combination)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon canned chipotle chiles, finely minced
1/2 to 1 teaspoon canned chipotle chiles, finely minced
- Place the sour cream and/or yogurt in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon minced chipotles, and let it sit for about 10 minutes, so the flavor can develop. Taste to see if it needs more chipotle flavor, and add more, if desired.
- Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
