Corn Cakes with Chopped Tomato and Avocado Salsa

I have a habit of trying new recipes and it's often just a different version of something I've already made before. That was the case last night with the corn cakes we made to go along with some grilled chicken.

Tasting of summer which is rather appropriate since it is still in the 90's here, even though the calendar says we're supposed to be almost a month into fall, these cakes are really more of a fritter with a do-nut like interior made of a combination of flour and corn meal along with ground corn kernels, red onion, basil and a touch of jalapeno. While they're ok in their own right, the fresh tomato and avocado salsa really makes 'em sing.

Notice I said they were alright and they are - really a great side dish and they'd make a super appetizer too so here's the recipe anyway, but we decided that if we're having "corn cakes", we'll take this one with or without the clams any old day of the week because they're more about the corn and less about the cake. Just sayin'.

 

Corn Cakes with Chopped Tomato and Avocado Salsa (Adapted from Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons well shaken buttermilk

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 cups frozen corn kernels, defrosted

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 jalapeno, minced

 Oil for frying

 In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper and set aside. In another bowl beat eggs, buttermilk and butter together. Set aside.

Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree 1-1/2 cups of corn kernels until coarsely chopped. Add remaining corn kernels along with red onion, basil and jalapeno. Add dry ingredients and mix gently to combine. Add wet ingredients and mix together until just combined. Do not over mix.

Heat a large skillet with a quarter inch of vegetable oil in the bottom. When sizzling, drop in batter (I used a cookie scoop) and flatten with a fork. Fry 6 at a time for approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden brown and firm to the touch. Do not crowd the pan. Drain on paper towels. Keep cakes warm in a low oven until serving time. Serve with salsa.

Tomato Avocado Salsa

1 large tomato, cored and chopped

1 green onion, minced

1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 garlic clove, minced

Juice of 1 lime

1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1-1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

Place ingredients into a bowl and stir to mix. Place avocado pit into center of bowl, and refrigerate air tight until serving time. Remove pit before serving.

Comments

[Lea]

I love corn cakes - any kind!never thought of putting a salsa on 'um - I like that idea - I might have to try that!!!

[June]

Lea - I think they'd be great with mango chutney too, or a bacon/onion jam...or ...

[pam]

I was thinking about getting that Foster cookbook, do you recommend it?

[June]

Pam - definitely although you're talking to someone who never met a cookbook (or a calorie) she didn't love.

[Mary from Apron Strings & Wedding Rings]

When my daughter was at U-MASS Amherst College, I would visit her often and wouldn't dream of leaving without some of Amherst's local corn cakes. I never thought about making them until now!

[June]

Mary - the two versions mentioned on this post are miles apart in texture but both have great flavor.

[Lorraine]

June, I like my corn cakes a bit more on the corny side too, but the salsa makes these sound excellent.

[June]

Lorraine - the salsa's the bomb!