Sweet, savory and mildly spicy. My Fresh Corn and Scallion Griddlecakes make the most of a summer staple, but turns up the volume by combining fresh, sweet corn just moments from the cob, with bright, verdant scallions, and tangy buttermilk. Served hot from the griddle, with crisp edges and topped with a generous dollop of Maple Jalapeno Mascarpone Cream and real maple syrup, these little golden beauties are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Any leftovers are easily reheated in a toaster—but, I assure you, this needn’t be a worry.

My recipe was inspired by a similar version at Gastronomico in LA. Looking for a new restaurant, we stumbled across this bare-bones eatery, tucked into the corner of a blink-and-you-miss-it strip mall in the Los Feliz neighborhood. The menu is minimal, farm-to-table, organic, seasonal. In other words, perfect. Their simple and rustic roasted organic chicken with heirloom tomato and bread salad was probably one of the most satisfying and perfectly cooked meals I’ve had all summer. BH’s turkey burger was stuffed with jammy, rich balsamic onions, avocado, and bacon, piled high on a homemade wheat bun. Although it may sound a little hum-drum, it was probably the best turkey burger we’ve ever had. We ordered corn griddlecakes to share, just in case any remaining hunger pains weren’t completely eliminated—and probably could have scarfed down another stack without blinking. They were that delicious.

Days later, I couldn’t stop thinking about their griddlecakes wondering how I could make them at home, and maybe even, dare I say, improve them a bit.

Here is the result. These sweet and savory Fresh Corn and Scallion Griddlecakes are full of summer’s best. It’s really important that you use fresh corn, not frozen or canned, but I’m sure those will work in a pinch. Golden brown and crisp on the edges from the olive oil and topped with a spicy, sweet Maple Jalapeno Mascarpone Cream and real maple syrup, these cakes are something to pile high and eat with gluttonous abandon.

Theirs were good. But, mine are even better.

Fresh Corn and Scallion Griddlecakes with Maple Jalapeno Mascarpone Cream

Yields: Four Servings



Ingredients

2 egg whites or 1 large egg

1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk

3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 cups cooked corn kernels, (from 2-3 ears)

6 scallions, finely chopped

1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions



Preheat oven to 200°F.

Whisk egg, buttermilk, 2 teaspoons oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir in corn and scallions. In a separate bowl, whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder and baking soda; stir into wet ingredients.

Brush remaining 1 teaspoon oil evenly over a large nonstick skillet; heat over medium heat. Use about 3 tablespoons of batter for each griddlecake. Working in batches, spoon batter into hot skillet and spread into 3-inch rounds. Cook until lightly browned on the bottom and set around the edges, about 2 minutes. Turn the cakes with a spatula and cook until lightly browned on the other side, 1 to 2 minutes more. Make sure to add more olive oil to the griddle before ladling out the batter. Trust me, you want crisp edges.

Transfer griddlecakes to an ovenproof platter, cover loosely with foil and keep warm in the oven until all of the batter is cooked.

Serve hot, topped with maple jalapeño marscapone cheese and real maple syrup.

Maple Jalapeno Mascarpone Cream



8 oz. mascarpone cheese

1 jalapeno pepper, minced (you can choose the remove the seeds and ribs, or if you prefer more heat, leave them in)

3 teaspoons real maple syrup

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the minced jalapeno pepper and maple syrup with the mascarpone cheese. If you would like it sweeter, add more syrup. Not spicy enough for you? Throw in another pepper. It’s all up to you.