Celebrate Campfire Cuisine’s 7th Birthday with Spicy-Cheesy Corn Cakes
Posted by
Robin Donovan
I can hardly believe that my first “baby,” Campfire Cuisine, turned seven years old on May 1. And like any parent, I can’t help but wonder where the time has gone. But the coolest part is that to celebrate the occasion, Quirk Books released a new, upgraded, updated, spiffed up edition of the book. I couldn’t ask for a better birthday present.
I’m really excited about the new edition. Like the first, it looks adorable and is packed full of helpful tips and recipes for incredibly delicious camping cuisine (if I do say so myself). Plus, this new edition has a bunch of great new recipes. I’m
especially excited about this recipe for Spicy-Cheesy Corn Cakes spiked with red chiles, cilantro, and cheese (I like a tangy goat cheese here). They seem fancy enough to serve for an at-home brunch, but the recipe is so simple it can easily be made at a campsite and they’re perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Spicy-Cheesy Corn Cakes
You can use any type of cheese you have on hand for these savory corn pancakes—try a tangy goat cheese, a sharp cheddar, or a creamy Monterey jack. Top with fried eggs, soy chorizo, or both for a hearty meal.
1 cup finely ground corn meal
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups plain, whole-milk yogurt
Kernels from 2 ears of corn (or about 2 cups frozen or drained canned corn)
2 red or green jalapeno or Serrano chilies, seeded and diced
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
4 ounces shredded or crumbled cheese
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salsa for serving
Combine the corn meal, flour, salt, and cumin in a medium bowl or pot and stir to mix. Add the eggs and mix with a fork until combined. Stir in the yogurt, corn, chilies, cilantro, and cheese.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat on a camp stove. When oil is hot, ladle the batter into the pan about 1/4 of a cup at a time, flattening each dollop to make a circle about 4 inches across and 1/4 –inch thick. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown on the bottom, then flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until the second side is browned. Drain on paper towels and serve hot, topped with salsa.
