Corn Pancakes with Sour Cream and Chives

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Right now I find myself in a scramble of sorts.  I am trying to savor and store the last of the summer bounty, yet I am gearing up for the cool weather baking and holiday eats!  This is one of those recipes that falls in between.  As delicious as it is now with fresh sweet summer corn, it is also quite tasty during the colder months using frozen corn (stock the freezer now).

There are many variations of corn pancakes out there, but I enjoy the ones that are simply pancakes with corn.  No cornmeal or other fillers, just batter and corn.  This recipe separates the whites from the yolks, giving you a light batter.  I use buttermilk for a bit of tang, as well as a bit of sugar and cayenne pepper for a sweet and teeny bit of spice.  They are cooked in a skillet until golden brown and crispy, then topped with sour cream and chives.  They are perfect as a light dinner with a small salad or roasted vegetable on the side, but they are also quite tasty when served on the side with roast pork or baked ham.  Oh, and if you have any leftovers after serving these with the ham or pork, they make for a tasty alternative to the usual sandwich bread for school lunches.  Ham and corn pancake sandwich?  My children give it a thumbs up!

Printable Recipe

Corn Pancakes with Sour Cream and Chives 

makes 12 to 14  3-inch pancakes

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 extra large eggs, separated
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
unsalted butter and vegetable oil for frying

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper, and cayenne.  In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, buttermilk, and butter.  Add wet ingredients to the dry; fold in the corn.  In a medium bowl using a hand-held mixer or whisk, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Using a rubber spatula, gently fold whites into batter (mixture will be thick).

In a large non-stick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon vegetable oil with 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat.  Spoon 2 tablespoons of batter (I use a generous 1-ounce ice cream scoop) into pan for each pancake.  Using an off-set spatula, carefully spread each batter mound into a 3-inch round.  Cook pancakes until bubbles appear around the edges of the cakes, about 2-3 minutes.  Flip the pancakes over and cook until the undersides are browned and crisp, about 2 minutes more.  Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200º F oven until the entire batch is cooked.  Serve with sour cream and chives.  Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Reheat in a frying pan with a little butter over low heat until warmed through.  Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Heirloom Cooking with the Brass Sisters,by Marilynn Brass and Sheila Brass