Ina Garten Fresh Corn Pancakes

Ina Garten fresh corn pancakes are a crispy-edged savory pancake with sweet corn, buttermilk and chives that comes together in 40 minutes. These make-ahead summer side dish pancakes fit Sunday brunch, cookout nights and easy weeknight dinners, since the batter can rest for an hour.

Stir the batter just until the dry ingredients are moistened, because the cornmeal needs to stay loose and tender. Overmix it and the pancakes turn dense and gummy instead of light and crisp.

Ina Garten built this recipe on an idea from food writer David Tanis, and she makes it when corn is plentiful at the East Hampton farm stands. Blending fine and stone-ground cornmeal gives the pancakes a texture you can't get from a single grind, and a little Sriracha adds a gentle heat.

Source: Cooking for Jeffrey (2016)

Ina Garten Fresh Corn Pancakes

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

20

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

130

kcal

Sweet corn kernels and minced chives are folded into a thick cornmeal batter, then pan-fried in clarified butter until the edges turn deep golden. Each pancake stays tender in the middle with a firm, crisp crust, and a sprinkle of salt finishes them.

Ingredients

• 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal, such as Quaker
  

• 1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal, such as Bob's Red Mill
  

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  

• 2 teaspoons sugar
  

• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  

• Kosher salt
  

• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, shaken
  

• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  

• 2 extra-large eggs
  

• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha
  

• 3 cups fresh corn kernels (4 ears) (see note)
  

• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving
  

• 1 1/2 tablespoons seeded, minced jalapeño pepper
  

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) clarified butter, for frying (see note)
  

Directions

• Heat the oven: Preheat the oven to 250°F and line two sheet pans with parchment paper. The pancakes will wait there to stay warm while you fry the rest.
• Mix the dry ingredients: Stir together 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal, 1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 2 teaspoons sugar in a large bowl. Add 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and keep the bowl nearby.
• Whisk the wet ingredients: Whisk 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, 2 extra-large eggs and 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha together in a medium bowl. Then stir in 3 cups fresh corn kernels, 3 tablespoons minced chives and 1 1/2 tablespoons seeded, minced jalapeño.
• Combine the batter: Pour the corn mixture into the dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until just moistened. Stop there, because overmixing makes the pancakes tough.
• Fry the first side: Heat 1 tablespoon clarified butter in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat until it sizzles. Drop in 1/4-cup scoops of batter without crowding them, press each one very lightly with a small metal spatula, and cook for 2 minutes.
• Flip and finish: Turn each pancake and cook for 1 1/2 minutes more. They're done when both sides are browned and the center feels firm.
• Keep warm and serve: Move the cooked pancakes to the sheet pans in the oven while you fry the rest, adding more clarified butter to the pan as needed. Sprinkle with salt and extra minced chives, then serve warm.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, OXO silicone spatula set, Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

What if my corn is starchy instead of sweet?

Blanch the kernels in boiling water for 3 minutes and drain them well before they go into the batter. That softens starchy corn so it turns tender inside the pancakes.

Can I make the batter ahead of time?

You can mix the batter up to an hour ahead, cover it and leave it at room temperature. Fry the pancakes right before serving, since they taste best hot and crisp.

How do I make clarified butter?

Melt butter and pour it into a small measuring cup. Let it sit until the milk solids sink to the bottom, then pour off the clear golden butter on top and throw away the rest. It fries at a higher heat without burning, which gives you cleaner browning.

Can I use a different pan or skip the oven?

Any large heavy skillet works, and a cast iron pan holds its heat well. The oven just keeps finished pancakes warm, so skip it only if you plan to serve each batch straight from the pan.

What's the most common mistake with these pancakes?

Overmixing the batter is the big one, because it makes the cornmeal gummy and the pancakes dense. Crowding the pan comes second, since it drops the heat and keeps the edges from crisping.