Description

These savory corn pancakes are perfect for any meal of the day! (The cashew cream and shiitake ‘bacon’ recipes are adapted from Natural Gourmet Institute, NYC’s premier plant-based culinary school).

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cashew Cream:

1 cup raw cashews
About ¾ cup filtered water
2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1–2 limes)
About 2 teaspoons chipotle sauce, or to taste (See Note)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Shiitake Bacon:

4 ounces shiitake mushrooms (about 8 medium mushrooms), stemmed and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Pancakes:

2 tablespoons flax meal (ground flaxseeds)
¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour (all-purpose flour also OK)
¾ cup cornmeal (preferably stone ground and ‘medium grind’, like Bob’s Red Mill)
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the skillet
1 ¼ cups raw corn kernels cut off the cob (about 1 ear of corn)
⅓ cup finely sliced scallions (1 large or 2 small stalks), plus more to garnish

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Instructions

Start the Cashew Cream: Place the cashews in a bowl and add enough boiling water to cover by about 1 inch. Let stand for at least 45 minutes or up to several hours.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375ºF.
To make the Shiitake Bacon, place the mushrooms on a baking sheet, drizzle with the oil and salt, and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer and roast until browned and crispy, 15-20 minutes, tossing once halfway through cooking. Remove from the oven and set aside; the ‘bacon’ will crisp up as it cools.
Meanwhile, make the Cashew Cream: Drain the cashews. In a blender or food processor, combine the cashews, filtered water, lime juice, chipotle sauce, and salt. Blend until completely smooth and creamy – the texture should resemble that of sour cream – stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Scrape the cream into a serving bowl and chill until ready to serve. (Cashew cream may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days).
Finally, make the Pancakes: In a small bowl, stir the flax meal together with 6 tablespoons of water. Let stand while you prepare the rest of the ingredients (5-10 minutes); the mixture should become slightly thick and gelatinous – this is known as a “flax egg”.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, and flax egg. Then stir in the corn and scallions. Pour the milk-corn mixture into the flour mixture and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold just until incorporated, being careful not to overmix. The batter will be thick and lumpy.
In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat enough oil to evenly coat the bottom. Ladle ¼-cup-fulls of the batter into skillet, making 2-3 thin pancakes at a time. Cook until the pancakes start to set around the edges and are golden brown and crispy on the bottom, 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil to the skillet as needed for each batch. Serve immediately with the cashew cream, ‘bacon’, and extra scallions.

Notes

Chipotle sauce (sometimes called Adobo sauce) can be found jarred or canned in the international or Mexican foods aisle of your grocery store. It’s a spicy, smoky condiment made of pureed chili peppers and vinegar; some brands are spicier than others. You can add it to sauces or use it as a marinade.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 pancakes (without toppings)
Calories: 300
Carbohydrates: 34.3 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 5.1 g