Puckett's corn cakes complete this meat and three plate.
Thanksgiving menus vary greatly across the country, but dressing (or stuffing) seems to be one of the most universal components. According to reliable sources, my mother makes excellent cornbread dressing, but you won’t hear that from me because I can’t eat the stuff. I just don’t like it. Or stuffing. And it's odd, because I like just about every kind of corny, bready carb.
In fact, I love cornbread in just about every other form I can think of. I like sweet yellow, unsweet white, and corn muffins. I love tamales, polenta cakes and arepas, too; my cornbread love knows no cultural bounds.
I’ve recently been on a corn cake kick. Inspired by a trip to the original Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant in Leiper’s Fork this past summer, my traditional meals are now served with these yellow disks of goodness. What’s great is that I can make a huge batch and refrigerate or freeze what I don’t need and then re-heat in the oven and they’re as good as fresh-made.
I asked if Puckett’s would mind sharing the recipe and they happily obliged, though they generally make a huge batch, so the measurements are a bit unconventional. Regardless, you can make this batter very easily at home, particularly if you know the consistency you’re looking for, which should be thick enough to spread just slightly after pouring to retain a height of about a quarter-inch. The corn cake is ready to flip when (like with regular pancakes), you can see bubbles on top and that it’s already nearly done. I cook mine on a lightly-oiled electric griddle, but any flat pan will do. Recipe after the jump.
Puckett's Cajun Corncakes
(should yield about 25)
1 pound self-rising cornmeal
½ pound self-rising flour
½ pound granulated sugar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 ¼ cups buttermilk
1/8 cup diced red bell pepper
1/8 cup diced green bell pepper
¼ cup diced yellow onion
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add buttermilk, peppers and onions. Mix well. Let rise uncovered. Stir out air pockets. Chill. Fry on a flat grill using a 2-ounce ladle or scoop.
