It's extremely gratifying when something so simple — namely Mark Bittman's recipe for cornmeal pancakes — results in something so outrageously good. Nothing more than soaked cornmeal thinned out with a bit of milk and olive oil, these pancakes come off the griddle crispy-edged and tender in the middle.
These pancakes amount to a quick version of polenta. You mix the cornmeal with boiling water to soften it up and then add enough milk to make it into a loose batter. A few drops of oil add richness and silky texture.
The little cakes toast on the skillet, acquiring a crust that crunches as your fork bites in. The soft polenta-esque interior soaks up extra syrup and provides just the right contrast to the crispy edges.
We first had these for breakfast, minus the pine nuts since we didn't feel like running to the store. The corn flavor is definitely present, but softened. The vanilla added just the right touch of sweetness. A spoonful of cherry preserves and a sprinkle of walnuts (which we DID have!) made this a perfect breakfast. We also think the pancakes would make a good backdrop for less-sweet toppings, like Faith's breakfast of Eggy Polenta with Tomatoes and Mushrooms.
In fact, the savory potential of the pancakes led us to create a dinner version the very next night. We made another batch of the cornmeal batter, leaving out the vanilla and making a quick sauce of mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and chorizo sausage to pile top. It was an excellent midweek meal: quick, satisfying, and all around delicious.
These pancakes take about 20 minutes from the time you pull the ingredients out of the cupboard to coming off the griddle. Since they're gluten-free, this is a great recipe to make when gluten intolerant friends and family come to visit. We'll definitely be adding this to our arsenal of quick-fix breakfasts and dinner side dishes.
• Get the Recipe: Cornmeal Pancakes from Mark Bittman in The New York Times
• Read the Whole Article: For Whole Grain Pancakes, Try a Little Tenderness by Mark Bittman in The New York Times
Related: Marcella Hazan's No-Stir Polenta - Recipe Review
(Image: Emma Christensen)
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Bummer, recipe link requires account/login.
For those without a NYTimes account:
Cornmeal Pancakes With Vanilla and Pine Nuts
Time: 30 minutes
1 1/2 cups fine or medium cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk, or more as needed
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil, plus more for frying
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pine nuts
Honey, for serving.
1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Combine the cornmeal, salt and 1 1/2 cups boiling water in a bowl and let it sit until the cornmeal absorbs the water and softens, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the milk, a little at a time, until the batter is spreadable but still thick. Stir in 2 tablespoons oil, the vanilla and the pine nuts.
3. Put a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. When a few drops of water dance on its surface, add a thin film of oil and let it become hot. Spoon out the batter, making any size pancakes you like. Cook until bubbles form on the top and burst and the underside is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes; turn and cook on the other side until golden. You may have to rotate the cakes to cook them evenly, depending on the heat source and pan. As they finish, transfer them to a plate in the oven while you cook the remaining batter. Serve with honey.
Yield: 4 servings.
Manjar - I'm not getting the login screen (I do have a NYTimes account, but I'm not logged in). Strange. I find that the NYTimes can sometimes be inconsistent about where it requires a login. I'll add a link to the main article - sometimes those don't have the same login requirements.
Also, I'm pretty sure the basic NYTimes account is still free to sign up!
Thanks for the workarounds!
In the picture here these look amazing and I will have to try. I didn't bother to read the recipe when it appeared in the NYT because the photo with the article was of some very heavy looking other-grain pancakes that were also featured in the story. I only like thin cakes like these. Thanks for this post!
Not gluten-free, but the oatmeal pancakes from that same article are fantastic as well.
So I was inspired by the description and their simplicity just made these to have as a bedtime snack (1/2 recipe). Eh - they're okay... nothing special though. I don't think I'd make 'em again.
Thanks for the heads up kathrynfolkl. I don't think I'll bother either.
The picture looked too good not to try. At first I had coarse cornmeal and that didn't really mesh with me with the texture. I used fine cornmeal (that I actually forgot I had) and it turned out a little better, more cakey and less coarse.
They were ok.
I added a little honey to the remainder of the batter and it was much better. Reminds me of cornbread in cake form. Eaten with some butter and syrup and not too shabby.
Looks easy to veganize: non-dairy milk, favourite sweet goop (maple!)
I'll be using raw cashews in place of pine nuts.
@gildeddawn thanks! NYT links are annoying.
These looked so good I had to try them. I just made these and won't be making them again. These would be good if you are on a gluten free diet or something. I guess this would be considered a "healthy breakfast" since I won't be eating the rest of the batch.
Just tried these this morning, and they were kind of a disaster...had to abandon ship like the previous reviewer. They sort of worked in the beginning with a lot of oil, but even then, it was hard to flip. Then it got worse from there. They taste ok, not great.
I really want to try these and saved the recipe since when it appeared in the print version a couple of weeks ago. However, the reviews are so mixed....
There are so many good corn meal pancake recipes out there. Find another one, people. They are heavenly when made well. I learned about them from my mother-in-law and have been making variations from a variety of different sources for years. Joy of Cooking alone has, like, three different versions!
I think the name "pancake" is the problem here. These aren't really pancakes, more of a sweet(ish) flatbread or polenta. I substituted pumpkin seeds for pine nuts and found them amazing. My wife (who found the recipe) didn't care for them at all. But after breakfast they were still sitting out and she had one at room temp and loved it -- dry, as a snack.
The cooking takes practice, I think the secret is to keep the pan not too hot and not too much oil.
If you want "corn meal pancakes" find a recipe that includes flour and a leavening agent.
If you are looking for an alternate recipe for cornmeal cakes, try searching the terms hoecake or johnny cake. There are lots of great recipes out there, and this is a dish with a long history.
1/2 Cup of pine nuts? This is a very expensive recipe for pancakes...
Reposting a recipe as a whole is a violation of copyright of the original owner. You may only post a list of ingredients (not copyrightable) and provide your own directions.
I like the idea of these, and with honey they tasted delicious. But how do you get them to not stick to the pan?! Tried low heat with less oil, high heat with more oil..stuck every time.