Corn pancakes with charred red pepper salsa and cheese

Categories: February

Ingredients

• 80g cornmeal or quick-cook polenta
• 80g unbleached plain white flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of sdoa
• 1 large egg
• 4 tbsp buttermilk or plain yogurt
• 1-2 tbsp milk
• 25g butter, melted and cooled
• oil or butter, for greasing
• 200g fresh, sharp cheese such as feta, young goat's cheese or mild ricotta
• 3 red peppers, halved and deseeded
• 1-2 fresh red chillies
• 1 large onion, thickly sliced
• 2-3 tbsp good olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• 1-2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp each chopped fresh mint and coriander
• pinch of ground cumin
• 1/4-1/2 tsp Spanish smoked paprika

Directions

1. Make the salsa. Preheat the grill to high and line the grill pan with foil. Put the peppers, skin side up, and the chillies in the pan. Grill until the chillies’ skins blacken, then set aside in a bowl. Continue grilling until the peppers’ skins blacken, then remove and add to the bowl. Cover with cling film. Leave the grill on.

2. Put the onion in the grill pan, brush with olive oil and season. Grill, turning over once, until tender and beginning to char.

3. Peel the peppers and chillies, discarding the chilli seeds, if you like, then chop, along with the onions. Mix together in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the balsamic vinegar, the herbs and spices. Season to taste. Set aside for 30 minutes, then adjust the seasoning again, adding extra olive oil and vinegar to taste.

4. Meanwhile, make the pancakes. Put the cornmeal in a bowl, then add 200ml boiling water to make a thick paste. Whisk until smooth, then set aside until it’s lukewarm.

5. Sift the remaining dry ingredients into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and break in the egg. Add the buttermilk and mix to make a thick batter, then beat in the cornmeal – add a little extra milk if it looks too thick. Stir in the melted and cooled butter.

6. Heat a griddle or large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until hot. Lightly grease with a film of oil or butter and make small pancakes using 3 tablespoons of batter for each. Cook until the bubbles burst on the surface, then flip over and cook for 1-2 minutes until flecked brown. Serve as each one is ready, or keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining pancakes – you should have 12 in total.

7. Serve warm with the salsa and crumbled cheese, along with a crisp lettuce salad.

Email to a friend | Print this recipe | Back