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Savory corn cakes with roasted crema

Hellooooo! Happy week-after-Thanksgiving!

Oh, wait, you kind of want to curl up and sleep until Christmas, too? At least we aren’t alone.

Admittedly, my first post-Thanksgiving post (how many times can I use the word “post” in one sentence?) isn’t what you might have expected out of me. Historically, you’d probably expect plenty of sugar, butter, and too-tight pants.

Hold your horses, I’ve got all of those coming up soon.

But for now, let’s talk about these Savory Corn Cakes with Roasted Crema, shall we? This recipe comes from The New Southwest: Classic Flavors with a Modern Twist by Meagan Micozzi, the blogger behind Scarletta Bakes. Meagan is funny, smart, and creates mouthwatering recipes using flavors inspired by her current home in the heart of the southwest. I was thrilled to receive what I hope is the first of many cookbooks by her, and let me tell you – this book did not disappoint. The photos are beautiful, the recipes are delicious, and the writing is flawless – but most of all, this book is smart. Meagan has really done her research with this book; she has delved into traditional ingredients and flavors, and shares the history behind the dishes to which she has added her own twists.

Savory corn cakes

As I started flipping through the book, I was unsure of where to even begin. What would I make first? Would I whip up a batch of cajeta? Or maybe some Navajo fry bread? What about Fried Sage Smashed Potatoes? My mind whirled with the possibilities (while Boyfriend’s whirled with the fact that I was reading a cookbook in bed like it was a novel). And then…my eyes fell on a recipe for Savory Corn Cakes.

Game over.

These Savory Corn Cakes are perfection in a savory pancake. Full of corn and green onions, they are the perfect vehicle for the Roasted Crema that I chose to pair with them. While I made my corn cakes full-sized for lazy weekend brunch situation, with all of the holiday parties coming up, these would be perfect made in a silver dollar size and served as an appetizer. You’ll even likely have some Roasted Crema left over, which you can either serve as a dip or hoard for yourself and eat straight from the bowl serve on tacos, burritos, or nachos. Any way you serve them,  you can’t go wrong with either recipe.

Stacked corn cakes

As a bonus to help you survive the post-Thanksgiving struggle-bus and get this holiday season started off with a BANG, I am giving away one copy of The New Southwest! That’s right – all of these mouthwatering recipes can be right in your hands! Just enter using the widget below. Giveaway will run through midnight on Tuesday, December 10, 2013. Following the end of the giveaway, the winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

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Plate 'em up! Corn cakes and crema

Savory Corn Cakes with Roasted Crema

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Servings: 12 corn cakes

Ingredients 

For the roasted crema:

  • 5 large Roma tomatoes sliced approximately 1/2-inch thick horizontally
  • Olive oil for roasting
  • Salt
  • 1 large shallot sliced approximately 1/2-inch thick horizontally
  • 4 large garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup chopped chives
  • 2 cups crema or sour cream

For the corn cakes:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 1/2 cups canned cooked fresh, or frozen (thawed) whole corn kernels
  • 1 cup diced green onions
  • Butter for griddle

Instructions

Make the roasted crema:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Place tomato slices in an even layer on an parchment-lined baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until pieces are shrunken, dried, and starting to char at the edges. Remove from oven and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
  • While tomatoes are roasting, place shallot slices and whole garlic cloves in a foil packet and toss with a light drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Wrap tightly and roast for about 30 minutes, until fragrant, softened, and slightly browned. Remove from oven and place in the food processor with the tomatoes.
  • Add the chives and the crema or sour cream to the food processor and process everything to a smooth consistency. Season with salt to taste and serve, or store in the refrigerator, preferably in a glass container.

Make the corn cakes:

  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, sour cream, and egg. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing just until you have a smooth, uniform batter. Fold in the corn and green onions.
  • Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet or griddle over medium heat. Melt about 1/2 tablespoon of butter on the pan/griddle (do this prior to frying each batch of corn cakes). Using a 1/4-cup measure for regular-sized cakes, or a tablespoon-sized measure for bite-sized cakes, portion cakes out onto the cooking surface. Fry corn cakes for approximately 3 minutes on the first side, until air holes appear across the top of each corn cake and their shapes are set and matte colored. Flip and cook 3-4 minutes more, until cakes are cooked through. Serve with roasted crema.

Notes

The flavor of the roasted crema gets better after a few hours, so if making this for a party, plan to make the roasted crema as much as the night before. You'll be rewarded with a richer, more complex flavor and less to do the day of the party!

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29 Comments

  1. I have a breakfast cookbook from Patricia Cunningham ( I think but I’m too lazy to go look) where I discovered the recipe for yeasted waffles and I love the pictures in Pioneer Woman’s cookbooks,,,,,good for late night reading. I’ve never met a cookbook I haven’t liked. Love them all!

  2. these savory corn cakes are appropriate for any time of day! Breakfast: yes. Dinner: done. Lunch: yes please. Right now, I’m loving my Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. Every recipe I’ve tried so far has been pure gold!

  3. My go-to is my subscription to Fine Cooking, but I’ve been known to peek at my mom’s copy of Moosewood now and again. This is such serendipity… I just opened a can of corn tonight for a snack (don’t laugh) and I was wondering what to do with the rest of it!

  4. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison is my favorite all time cook book. I’m not even a vegetarian anymore and I still love it.

  5. Yum! Everything you listed from that book sounds amazing, though of course cajeta instantly catches my eye!! Love your photos in this post. This’d be my husband’s ideal breakfast if there was bacon on the side 😉 xx

  6. Anything with PICTURES!!!! Love cookbooks. And can’t pick which one. It’s according to the occasion! Right now I am looking for something for our church staff Christmas party TOMORROW NIGHT!!!!!

    Check my blog on Wednesday to see what I went with!

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