The Cornbread Gospels (38 page)

5.
Serve immediately, hot from the griddle, with any or all of the accompaniments, if desired.

N
OTE
:
Leftover batter for these cakes thickens more than usual when refrigerated overnight. Simply add buttermilk, or yogurt thinned with water, to the batter, stirring until it is of about the same consistency as the original batter. Don’t be surprised if it takes quite a bit of additional liquid to get it just right. The buttermilked déjà batter is, if anything, even better than the first day’s batch—and for some reason you do get more of the indicative flip-me-now pancake holes.

This is the same wonderful cottage cheese–based pancake batter given above, but minus the corn kernels and seasoned like the filling of a cheese blintz. To make them, add the following seasonings to the batter, along with the eggs and cottage cheese: finely grated zest of 1 lemon, preferably organic; ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon; several gratings of whole nutmeg; 2 tablespoons sugar, preferably unrefined (see Pantry,
page 356
), or brown sugar; and ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Then, when it comes time to add the corn, stir in ½ to ¾ cup blueberries instead. There you have it; and invite me to breakfast!

Follow the basic recipe, but omit the corn kernels. Use, instead, 1 flavorful, crisp but not too hard apple—a Fuji, Braeburn, Pink Lady, or even Golden Delicious, for instance—peeled, cored, and finely diced. Stir this in along with
2 to 3 teaspoons very, very finely minced or grated fresh gingerroot (you need not peel it). Although a little cinnamon and a tablespoon of sugar are classic additions here and certainly are tasty, I like the freshness of the straight apple-ginger combo. Excellent served with applesauce or apple butter, butter, and plain yogurt.

S
ERVES
4
TO
6,
DEPENDING ON ACCOMPANIMENTS

So very, very good. The sesame makes for an extra bit of crunch, which enhances the pocketed waffle surface. I like separating the eggs for the light, airy quality it gives, but if that’s too fussy for you, just leave them whole.

Please note the Waffle World menu that follows; it is suitable for a big congenial holiday or family reunion or for breakfast after a weekend party. Almost everything can be made in advance. All you do is put the waffle batter together and cook it, as guests and family wait eagerly.

2 eggs, separated

1 cup water (or for extra-light waffles, use club soda or a naturally carbonated water, such as San Pellegrino)

2 cups Toasted Sesame Multigrain Pancake Mix (
page 212
)

1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Optional accompaniments: butter or Better (see Pantry,
page 346
), pure maple syrup, fresh fruit, and/or sautéed fruit

1.
Whisk together the egg yolks and water in a large bowl, then whisk in the mix and the oils just until well combined. Heat up your waffle iron.

2.
Using clean beaters and a high-sided bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff (see Beating Egg Whites,
pages 186
–
187
), then gently fold them into the batter.

3.
When the iron is good and hot and ready to waffle, pour in the batter, following your waffle maker’s directions. Let the waffles bake in the griddle until done, 4 to 6 minutes. How can you tell when they’re done? Less steam is emitted from the waffle iron and they will smell done. Some waffle irons have an indicator light, gauge, or even a beeper that tips you off.

4.
Serve, hot from the waffle iron, with any or all of the accompaniments, if you like.

S
ERVES
4
TO
6,
DEPENDING ON ACCOMPANIMENTS

These are so good that two people can polish off one recipe’s worth—yep, two people, twelve waffles. Don’t ask me how I know this, but it has been done.

When made with frozen corn in the winter, this is a terrific Sunday morning breakfast. Try it with a compote of cranberries, cooked just until they pop, with diced pears and brown sugar or an alternative sweetener to taste, and good-quality plain yogurt on the side.
Major
yum. But the waffles are at their best when you are scarfing up the very last of the late-summer local corn, knowing you won’t see it again until the next July.

½ to 1 cup corn kernels, cut from 1 or 2 ears of fresh corn (see Shuck and Jive,
page 49
), frozen corn kernels, measured and thawed, or well-drained canned corn

2 eggs

2 cups plain yogurt or buttermilk, or a combination

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon melted butter

¾ cup whole-grain yellow corn flour (see Pantry,
page 353
)

¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

Optional accompaniments: butter or Better (see Pantry,
page 346
), pure maple syrup, and/or plain yogurt

1.
In a food processor, combine the corn kernels, eggs, yogurt and/or buttermilk, sugar, and butter. Buzz until the corn is a fine purée and the ingredients are thoroughly blended.

2.
Combine the corn flour, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-large bowl. Stir well.

3.
Heat up your waffle iron.

4.
When the iron is good and hot and waffle-ready, pour in the batter according to the waffle maker’s directions. Let the waffles bake in the griddle until done, 4 to 6 minutes. How can you tell when they’re done? Less steam is emitted from the waffle iron, and they will smell done. Some waffle irons have an indicator light, gauge, or even a beeper that tips you off.

5.
Remove, preferably to warmed plates, and serve with your favorite accompaniments, if desired.

S
ERVES
2
AS AN ENTRÉE
, 4
AS AN APPETIZER

These thin, crisp, lacy, shatteringly elegant, utterly addictive jonnycakes were, to me,
the
surprise hit of the book. Wholly unlike any other pancake or corn cake I have ever tasted, these are in a class by themselves. A bit on the buttery side, they are so perfect as is that serving them with additional butter would subtract from their delicacy.

I came to them late in life, but I guarantee you, I will be making this style of jonnycake for the rest of my life. Look at all the possibilities that follow in One Cake, Many Uses (
following
): These can serve as the base for a starter, accompany an entrée, or act as the beginning for dessert. The numbers of suggestions I’ve offered are but a small measure of my huge regard for these crisp cakes.

Vegetable oil cooking spray

1½ cups cold 2% milk or water

1 cup finely ground white cornmeal, preferably whitecap flint (see Pantry,
page 350
)

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1.
Spray your largest cast-iron skillet with the oil, and set it over medium-low heat to preheat it.

2.
Put the cold milk into a medium bowl and pour in the cornmeal and salt, whisking vigorously. Add the butter. The batter will be suspiciously thin, but don’t worry.

3.
Raise the heat under the skillet. You want that skillet good and hot, enough so that the batter will sizzle when you drop it in. When it is ready, drop the batter onto the skillet, using a tablespoon to make 3-inch-wide jonnycakes, or a teaspoon to make adorable petite ones, and tilting the skillet as needed to make them round. Each and
every
time you spoon up batter,
always
stir or whisk it like the dickens, otherwise the cornmeal will settle on the bottom. Please note: At first the cakes will look so filled with holes that they will appear impossible to flip, and you’ll think something’s wrong. It isn’t.

4.
These cakes take a little longer to cook than usual—4 to 5 minutes for the first side. It’s time to flip when all the little holes except those at the edge have filled in, and the top is almost dry. Turn one cake, using the thinnest spatula you own, and if it holds together neatly and is nicely golden brown, you’re there. Allow 3 to 4 minutes for side two.