From the kitchen of singer-songwriter and sustainable-foods advocate Adrienne Young (www.adrienneyoung.com) and her boyfriend Luke Ramsey. Read more about her Backyard Revolution project at www.backyardrevolution.com.
These hoecakes are the ultimate tabula rasa. Jalapeno peppers thinly sliced, fresh herbs, minced sweet onion, grated cheese, bacon—all of these are great additions that shine brightly. So be creative and experiment with your own favorites.
Cornmeal
Vegetable oil or fatback (not for the faint of heart, but more authentic than store-bought oil and quite tasty)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
Sea salt to taste
3 ears corn, kernels sliced off (or 1 can corn, drained)
1. Put a large pot of water over medium-high heat to boil. Once boiling, remove from heat.
2. Fill 2/3 of a large ceramic, metal, or Pyrex bowl with cornmeal (avoid plastic).
3. Start slowly warming oil or fatback in a large black-iron skillet over low heat.
4. Add baking powder and salt to cornmeal. Slowly pour in hot water (not boiling but just shy of it) while stirring with a strong wooden spoon; continue adding water until mixture is thick and pasty but still stirrable. Mix in corn (and any other additions, such as jalapenos or herbs).
5. Once melted fatback completely covers skillet, remove any solid pieces. Turn up heat to medium. Add hefty spoonfuls of cornmeal batter to skillet, and shape into a patty with a spatula. Fry until edges are hardened and golden underneath. Flip and cook until golden on other side.
6. Keep cakes covered on a platter with a clean kitchen towel (to keep them warm) until ready to serve. Enjoy with Virginia grade B maple syrup for a delicious dessert.
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