Cornmeal Pancakes: Sweet or Savory

Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Jun 26, 2012 at 9:17pm

cornmeal pancakes stephanie meyer fresh tart

I love recipes like this, pared down to their most basic elements, pure of flavor and intent. You can find a million recipes for cornmeal pancakes, made soft with wheat flour, fluffy with baking soda, sweet with sugar. And while they’re all utterly delicious, it’s hard to beat the pure corn flavor of pancakes made with cornmeal alone. I personally love them best plain, enhanced with nothing but salty Hope Creamery butter. And maybe a pile of softly scrambled eggs. Gosh.

But for those who’d like a bit of a flavor punch, I offer two variations, one sweet, one savory. I grated orange zest into the sweet version and served them with warm maple syrup and plenty of butter for a lazy Sunday morning breakfast. For the savory version, I stirred in chopped bacon and green onions and ate them hot off the pan. I can’t wait to eat them topped with slices of perfectly ripe tomatoes and a sprinkle of coarse salt.

Cornmeal Pancakes: Sweet or Savory

Adapted from a recipe by Mark Bittman, New York Times
Serves 4

1 1/2 c. fine or medium cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk, or more as needed

For sweet version:
1 tsp. grated orange peel
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
warm maple syrup for serving

For savory version:
3 slices bacon, fried crispy and crumbled
1/4 c. chopped green onions
2 Tbsp. bacon drippings

Combine the cornmeal, salt, and 1 1/2 cups boiling water in a bowl and let it sit until the cornmeal absorbs the water and softens, 5 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the milk, a little at a time, until the batter is spreadable but still thick.

For the sweet version: Stir in the butter, vanilla, and orange peel. For the savory version: Stir in the bacon, green onions, and bacon drippings.

Put a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add a drizzle of oil to the pan. Spoon out the batter, making any size pancakes you like. Cook until edges and underside are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, then turn and cook on the other side until golden.

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Older Comments

  1. By FreshTartSteph on August 13, 2012 at 11:45AM

    Excellent! I've definitely cooked a batch ahead and reheated them. I've not tried freezing them, but I suspect they'd be tasty...

  2. By Anonymous on August 13, 2012 at 10:00AM

    These look wonderful. We've been receiving what seems like piles of corn meal from our CSA and I'd begun to run out of recipes. So, I can't wait to give this one a try.

  3. By FreshTartSteph on August 4, 2012 at 8:16AM

    Will do. BIG meatloaf fan :)

  4. By Ade17 on August 3, 2012 at 8:45PM

    Absolutely! You´re welcome... I would love to know how you liked it if you make it that way so let me know =)
    XO

  5. By FreshTartSteph on August 2, 2012 at 10:56AM

    Oh I love all of these pairings, thank you for the note. Cheese, meatloaf, meatloaf and cheese, butter...yes, yes, yes and YES! Fabulous.

  6. By Ade17 on July 29, 2012 at 12:00AM

    This dish is originally from my country, Venezuela! It original name is Cachapa, and the way we eat in here (and the way it tastes the best) is with some juicy white cheese, also with meatloaf, meatloaf and cheese... Is a much fuller way to eat it but I assure you, as fan number 1 of this dish, that is the best way to eat it! Oh and whichever way you choose to make it, add butter always!!! Its amazing! And well you can try whatever you like to try but fresh berries is not a very good option, I mean in my opinion of course!... Anyway, I highly recommend this so make it, eat it and enjoy it!! =)

  7. By FreshTartSteph on June 27, 2012 at 11:22AM

    Thank you Amy! I agree, fresh berries would be divine. Or a warm berry sauce, mmm. Man I love summer :)

  8. By Amy @FragrantVanillaCake on June 27, 2012 at 4:06AM

    These sound delicious! I would love some with fresh berries! Even more wonderful that they could be served savory as well, your tomato pairing sounds wonderful!