As much as I sometimes lament that I miss the change of seasons that I grew up with (and the produce that comes with that…berries, oh how I miss berries), there are some definite perks of living in a hot climate. Some of that summertime produce has found its way to Thailand and is available all year. We eat sweet, bright red watermelon any time we want it, and fresh herbs of every sort are sold by the bundle for just a few cents. Sweet corn, too, is almost always available.
In full disclosure, sweet corn is one of those things that I believe tastes so good because of the anticipation..it’s the knowing you can only get it for a few fleeting months. Growing up in Kansas, I waited all summer for corn so sweet that I could eat it straight off the cob with nothing else. One of my favorite summer lunches has long been a spinach salad with tons of fresh raw sweet corn and avocado slices.
All of that is to say that the corn here is good, but never quite as good as in a place where you wait for it all year long. I do, however, cook with fresh corn often these days. I’m discovering that it adds so much to so dishes that I might never have explored if I didn’t have such an abundance of the stuff.
It was with this in mind that I came across these Mexican Corn Cakes for this month’s Secret Recipe Club. Kate’s blog, Kitchen Trial and Error, is full of great ideas for simple, creative dinners. These corn cakes caught my eye because I had never had anything like them. I do, however, love anything that can be topped with a poached egg and called dinner.
These were the perfect vehicle for a tasty combination of eggs, avocado, and a quick, fresh salsa. I used fresh corn, but the original recipe calls for frozen, which makes this a light, fun dinner year-round. It’s certainly one I’ll be making again.
Note on Baking: The first time I made these, I tried baking the corn cakes instead of cooking them in oil on the stove top. Not surprisingly, the version below was a clear winner. When pan-fried, the outside gets caramelized and sweet while the inside stays tender. However, the baked version were worth mentioning. I baked them at 400 degrees on a greased baking sheet for about 25 minutes, turning them over halfway through baking. Not as crisp, but still delicious.
- 1½ cups cornmeal
- ½ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup grated cotija or queso fresco cheese (omit for vegan corn cakes)
- 2 cups frozen corn
- ¾ to 1 cup water
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- poached eggs
- sliced avocado
- simple salsa (made with chopped tomatoes, red peppers, red onions, cilantro, and lime)
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the cheese and corn and mix just until combined. Add the water, ¼ cup at a time, and stir until the mixture holds together.
- Shape the mixture into 12 evenly sized cakes, pressing gently until the mixture stays together. Place the cakes on a cutting board or plate.
- Pour the oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the first batch of corn cakes until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until golden brown.
- Serve the corn cakes warm, topped with avocado, poached eggs, and simple salsa.
Baked or fried these corn cakes sound delicious! I can’t wait until it’s fresh corn season, something about that first bit of sweet corn on a hot day just makes everything seem brighter. Great SRC pick :-)
AmandaE recently posted..Secret Is
These look so good, almost like summer-on-a-plate in the MW!
Oh how I love those summer dinners in the midwest. Even though it’s hot here all the time, there’s nothing like those August dinners outside with sweet corn from home!
Definitely making these soon!
melissa@IWasBornToCook recently posted..Perunagratiini – Finnish Scalloped Potatoes (Secret Recipe Club)
these look gorg and SO tasty! Bravo friendy friend!
Dana recently posted..Orange Thyme Jam
What a great vegetarian dinner option … I love anything topped with an egg, avocado and some salsa. I think even my husband would agree to eating this for dinner …. he’s very picky with the meatless meals : )
Ashley recently posted..Vanilla Cinnamon Almond Butter
these are making me verrrrrrrrrrrrrry hungry. :) I love corn cakes! It’s been a few years since I made them. College, I think it was. I love pretty much anything with avocados in (or on) it!
sally @ sallys baking addiction recently posted..Triple Chocolate Layer Cake.
Everything tastes better when pan-fried. EVERYTHING. :) (Well, OK… there might be a few exceptions, but they are few and far between.)
I’m a little jealous of anyone who gets sweet corn and juicy watermelon year-round. I know half the fun of eating seasonally is counting down the days until it’s sweltering hot and all the gorgeous summer produce comes back to the farmers’ market… but I do so miss those sweet crisp corn niblets right now.
Isabelle @ Crumb recently posted..Secret Recipe Club: Roasted Spring Greens Salad with Hazelnuts and Pecorino
Having those fresh treats year round takes some, but definitely not all, of the pleasure out of them. There’s nothing like that first bite of corn or watermelon after waiting all year to get it!
The poached egg is brilliant… I’ve made corn cakes a couple of times for SRC, but it’s always been a bit of an effort to turn them into a meal. Lovely photo!
Stephanie recently posted..Creamy Sweet Potato Soup
I totally agree with you Jess, sweet sweet corn is so wonderful.
It’s so disappointing when you get excited about it (yes I get excited about corn) only to bite into it and find it a little bitter.
I think I’d go all out and make the fried version of these.
Claire @ Claire K Creations recently posted..Cinnamon pull apart loaf
SO true, Claire. There’s nothing as sad as lackluster corn when you think it’s going to be sweet and crisp! This recipe could redeem just about any corn though, so it’s a keeper for sure.
What a beautiful dish. I too am jealous about your year-round produce. The growing season is so darn short in Wisconsin! Your poached eggs are so perfectly round and white that at first glance, I thought they were generous dollops of sour cream! Great choice for this month’s SRC.
Lesa @ Edesia’s Notebook recently posted..Secret Recipe Club: Penne with Asparagus and Prosciutto in Lemon Cream Sauce
I’m trying to enjoy it while I have it, Lesa. I suspect I’ll be back in a place with seasons soon enough, and I’ll be missing the days when I could get corn all year. This was the first time I tried the poached egg method in which you make a whirlpool with the water and drop the egg in the middle. Turns out, it really does make nice round poached eggs!
Your corn cakes look amazing and I love that you tried them both baked and fried.
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my SRC entry: Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake
Lisa~~
Lisa~~ recently posted..Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffeecake
I’m always interested in finding lighter variations, Lisa, but this was definitely a case where the fried won out! Thanks for stopping by!
What beautiful photos!
Unfortunately my post missed the blog hop due to tech issues…argh..here is the link as I’d hate for people to miss seeing Aly’s recipe and her wonderful blog – http://chitchatchomp.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/secret-recipe-club-april.html
leigh recently posted..Secret Recipe Club – April !
WOW! Yum! This looks to die for and to savor. I’m saving this recipe! Great choice. I’m a fellow SRC member, group D
Kirstin recently posted..Party Recipes!
Those look so amazingly delicious. I haven’t seen corn yet this year, but I will definitely make this when I do get them. Thanks for sharing with the SRC.
Camilla @ Culinary Adventures recently posted..I Was Born to Cook Makes My Perunagratiini {SRC}
what a great twist on corn cakes. yum! i totally get you on the “anticipation” factor of certain foods. will have to keep the frozen corn idea in mind for the off season!
sarah k @ the pajama chef recently posted..SRC: Herb, Tomato, and Cheese Crackers
Love these corn cakes! they look delicious with the combination of corn and cornmeal!
PolaM recently posted..#SRC: Oatmeal Pancakes
Oh boy, I love these! I also love the avocado on top. Definitely hitting my to make list!
Shelby recently posted..White Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
These look amazing! They are on my Cinco de Mayo menu for sure.
Yum- great SRC pick!
Gooey and oozy eggs always get me! Delish!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com recently posted..Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
Me too, Kiran. I seriously cannot resist an egg with a runny yolk!
Jess, you have me yearning for July and sweet corn!
Debra recently posted..Amuse-bouche and an Italian Compote
Now that looks like one really tasty meal!
Kevin @ Closet Cooking recently posted..Kale, Butternut Squash and Mushroom Miso Soup
Oh how I love these corn cakes! Such beautiful pictures and I can just imagine how delicious these will be as I’m dining al fresco on the deck this summer. And a glass of white wine or a Mexican beer :)
Karista recently posted..Crawfish Fettuccine
Those look really delicious.I’ve recently been trying out new Mexican recipes with my family and this will definitely be added to my recipe book of things to try. Thanks for sharing this :)
Kirby Burt recently posted..Authentic Mexican Recipes updated Sun Apr 21 2013 6:22 pm EDT
Lovely! What do you substitute for cotija/queso fresco here in Thailand (unless you have some inside source for these)…feta?
Yep – feta all the way! Sometimes I use goat cheese if it’s going to be sprinkled on top, but it’s a bit too creamy for this recipe. The feta worked perfectly and had that distinct tangy, salty taste. We make do with what we’ve got, right? ;)