Savory pancakes are so underrated, don’t you think?
I mean, in the pantheon of savory breads, biscuits, buns, even leavened loaves and fried hush puppies get more play than savory pancakes. It’s such a shame!
Especially when you consider that savory pancakes such as the ones we’re talking about today are infinitely customizable for picky eaters or a fridge flush with late-season produce that you’re dying to use up.
I love making these pancakes as a quick go-to side dish throughout September, which is when the summer always seems to share one last spurt of growing goodness.
Today we’re frying up some fresh corn, tossing it with plump, roasted jalapeños, and letting those be the star of our savory pancake show.
You can easily substitute canned corn here, and perhaps you’ll want to incorporate some ripe, early-autumn Hatch chiles instead of jalapeños. You’re the boss!
Either way, you won’t be disappointed with these pancakes, whether you’re thinking breakfast, side dish, or just a deliciously filling snack.
Cakes on the griddle!
Savory Corn & Jalapeño Cakes
1 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter plus more for frying
3 ears yellow corn (approximately 2 1/2 c. fresh corn kernels)
1 jalapeño, roasted peeled, stemmed, seeded, chopped
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. nonfat Greek yogurt
To prepare the corn, melt one and one half tablespoons of butter in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over a medium flame. Shuck the corn and remove kernels by standing each cob on end and carefully trimming down the sides. Add kernels to melted butter and cook, stirring occasionally for approximately 6 minutes, until tender and just beginning to deepen in color and turn fragrant. Add the jalapeño pieces and cook for 4 minutes more. Remove cooked mixture from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
Whisk the buttermilk, eggs and Greek yogurt together in another large bowl. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing just until you have a smooth, uniform batter. Fold in the corn mixture.
To fry the pancakes, return your large, heavy-bottomed skillet to a medium flame. Note that preparing perfect pancakes depends to a large degree on the type of cooking vessel you are using: if you are using a nonstick griddle or pan, you will likely not need to grease it with any additional butter. If you are using cast iron or stainless steel, you may want to consider adding one tablespoon of butter to the pan before frying each batch of pancakes. Either way, be sure not to heat your pan over too high a flame or the cakes will burn on the outside without cooking through on the inside.
Once your pan or griddle is heated, portion the batter out onto the cooking surface (I chose to make larger cakes by using a quarter cup measure here). Cook for three to four minutes on each side; finished cakes will be puffed and golden brown across their tops and bottoms. Remove cooked pancakes and repeat with remaining batter. These pancakes are best served straight from the pan or griddle, and can be served with fresh crema, chopped chives, or the salsa of your choosing.
YIELD: 10-12 pancakes