by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville
‘Tis the season to keep warm. The cool winds out of the arctic are the precursors of things to come. Comfort food is great, starting about now, as we phase out of our summer activity and gird our loins for the winter. Breads, muffins and scones do the trick, as do the Creole Corn Cakes I have for you this week. These go fine just by themselves with butter and a cup o’ tea (mind you, a Martini also works); they are also a fine accompaniment for a nice, thick soup of the season. These cakes are a cinch to make, and you may want to involve the kids who are kicking around the house looking for something to do during “The Days of Covid”. It’s a great time for cooking lessons…
Creole Corn Cakes
Ingredients
2 cups cooked rice (just plain old white rice; for cooking, use two cups of water + a splash for each cup of dry rice)
1 cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup chopped onion
1 to 2 tablespoons seeded chopped jalapeno peppers (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup good old Canadian Canola oil
1 can (16½ ounces) creamed corn
3 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese (old is nice)
A bit of additional cornmeal for the bottom of your skillet
Preparation:
- In a large bowl, combine rice, cornmeal, onion, peppers, salt and baking soda.
- In another bowl, beat the eggs, milk and oil. Add the creamed corn and mix well. Stir into the rice mixture until well blended.
- Fold in the cheese.
- Sprinkle a well-greased 10-in. ovenproof skillet with cornmeal (I like cast iron, myself). Pour the batter into skillet.
- Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until the bread tests done with a toothpick (insert and look for wetness coming out; cook longer if you need to, but don’t overcook).
- Cut into wedges and serve warm.
Some folks prefer using a muffin tin. If you do, then you have to change the name of the recipe to Creole Corn Muffins (!). Strange, they taste the same…
Thanks again for sending me your feedback and recipe hints at pcormier@ranaprocess.com.