Two Very Different Versions of Corn Pancakes

I love the kind of cooking that barely needs measurements. I also love corn. Here are two examples of how easy good cooking can be. The first recipe is a family recipe of India Clark's..my son Max's girlfriend..yet another food obsessed member of my growing clan..Her family makes this with their leftover corn. The recipe uses fresh corn on the cob and eggs. The fat and or flavors vary at will. The  second pancake is made of cornmeal and rice flour. Both recipes are easy to make, delicious and gluten free.

  

Fresh Corn on the Cob Pancakes

Chopped Onions or Shallots to Taste
Fresh Sweet Corn on the Cob or Frozen Kernels thawed roughly one to one egg
Herbs
eggs
salt and pepper

1. Saute onions or shallots in butter or oil or rendered bacon fat and set aside in a bowl to cool

2. Cut the cooked corn off the cob into the bowl— 1-2 ears should be enough for 1-2 people 

3. Chop fresh herbs and add to the mixture. Chives, parsley, sage, basil, tarragon, thyme, sorrel, chervil and lemon balm all go well with corn. Make your own creation.

4. Add egg and mix in there should be enough liquid to rise close to the level of the corn..about one egg per ear of corn

5. Add salt and pepper to taste

6. Spoon onto a hot skillet with fat, use the back of your spoon to flatten them a bit..make smallish cakes so they are not too big to easily flip. Turn as  the bottoms begins to brown.

7. Enjoy as is, or with your favorite hot sauce, ketchup, syrup, sour cream.... whatever strikes your fancy and matches the accompaniments

Note: it might be worth trying a sweet version. Try adding a bit of sugar, vanilla and nutmeg with a little orange zest. if you do this and it works well let me know!

Corn Meal and Rice Pancakes

 

 

 3/4 Cup Corn Meal or Corn Flour

1/2 cup Brown or White Rice Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1//4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2-2/3 Cup Boiling Water

1/2 Cup Buttermilk or to Taste

1 Egg

1 Tablespoon Melted Butter

Pinch of Salt

1 Teaspoon of Sugar

Measure the corn meal or corn flour into a bowl.  

Stir in boiling water and wait 5 minutes for the meal to expand and soften.

Alternate mixing in rice flour, salt buttermilk and sugar. Mix in  the egg and the melted butter. Add the baking powder and baking soda last mixing in well. The type of pancake you get will depend on the thickness of the batter. If you want thick and fluffy your mix should be fairly thick if you want thin and crispy it should be more liquid. Adjust the buttermilk accordingly. 

Melt the butter or oil or bacon fat in a non-stick pan..just a little will do as you don't want greasy pancakes..Then over medium to medium high heat cook on one side til bubbles form and it looks to be drying out a bit..then flip and brown on the other side. I like to make one first to test the heat before I pour them in quantity.

Serve with real maple syrup that has been warmed.

Note: I like fruit in my cakes. I use berries or peaches or apples depending on the time of year. I found an ice cream scoop works well for a measurer and I can add the fruit to it just before it goes into the pan. You can make the fruit to order this also allows you to custom order the cakes for a crowd.  

 

Quick Summer Lobster Salad

My simple summer cottage has the smallest stove on the planet.

 So I thought I would use the local takeouts to help me in my quest for easy and good food. Also..as often is the case.. I am on a diet so I am eating strategically today.

Tonight I am seeing a movie and lecture so I needed to figure out how I could eat early as my diet demands. My solution is to eat breakfast a little late and then skip lunch but have Linner..is that a word??

 Last night's dinner was a lobster and some corn..The local fish market The ClamMan http://www.clamman.com/
very nice people.. steamed me a lobster. Not knowing how much I could eat, I ordered a pound and a half. But I could only finish the claws and legs. So I saved the tail and all those tiny legs for today.

I went online and found a recipe for that cold leftover lobster,  lovely lobster salad. Here is the basic recipe:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Tarragon-Lobster-Salad-105219

I chose it because I love tarragon with lobster and had brought some out from my tiny city herb garden. If you don't have lobster you could easily substitute shrimp or scallops or take it in another direction completely and used chicken or turkey. You might try basil instead of tarragon.

I did not follow the recipe to the letter; rather I picked the lobster meat reserving it in a small bowl..then with a mini food processor I chopped my tarragon and after did my shallots. I eyeballed how much mayo, lemon juice and pepper and mixed it with the shallots and tarragon and added the  lobster. The picture shows some baby red oak leaf lettuce I got in the city and small yellow tomatoes..I wasn't really keen on the tomatoes you might be but if not  I encourage you to try other garnishes..I could imagine a bit of crumbled bacon or maybe some very sweet melon. Cooking is like that! Experiment! Wing it!

Leftover Salad

So at Passover I cooked up some lamb shanks..in red wine forever..a little to forever as I slightly burned them. I also made some chick peas thinking to make a chick pea and lamb recipe..but I never did so now I had both and they were aging in the frig..

I am of the opinion we should eat what we want..if the item is fattening then eat tiny portions but have some.

Here is what I did.
Using a bit of good aged balsamic I took tiny bits of the meat..heated up..and chick peas..also heated up. Then I let them sit while I put the last of the salad greens from Passover with some sliced fennel and slices of red pepper and half an apple. I sliced the fennel and apple with my Benriner.. more on this wonderful tool later..I tossed a tablespoon of good olive oil and a bit more balsamic and then added the peas and lamb. It made for a delicious and a little rich salad..I used only a tablespoon or two of chick peas and of lamb so it wasn't a diet breaker..it just tasted like one.

more water..must keep hydrating..