Cornmeal pancakes with warm cherry sauce
Instructions:
- PANCAKES:
- 1 cup medium-coarse stone ground whole grain cornmeal (4 ounces);
- ½ cup white whole wheat flour (2¼ ounces);
- 2 tablespoons sugar;
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder;
- ½ teaspoon baking soda;
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt;
- 1½ cups lowfat buttermilk;
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten;
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.
- CHERRY SAUCE, AND TO FINISH:
- 2 cups sweet pitted cherries (about 10 ounces; do not thaw if using frozen);
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon water;
- ¼ cup honey;
- 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest;
- 3 whole cloves;
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch.
- To prepare the pancakes, whisk together the cornmeal, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and olive oil to blend. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Do not overmix; a number of small lumps should remain. Allow the batter to sit for 10 minutes.
- Place a large baking sheet on the center rack of the oven and preheat to 200°F.
- Meanwhile, prepare the cherry sauce. Combine the cherries, ¼ cup of the water, and the honey, orange zest, and cloves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat, cover partially, and set aside for flavors to meld.
- To make the pancakes, heat a large cast-iron skillet or a griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease the pan. When a drop of water sizzles and briskly evaporates on the surface, add ¼ cup batter per pancake, leaving some space in between so you can flip them. Cook until the edges of the pancakes start to look dry and the bottoms turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Decrease the heat a tad if the pancakes brown too quickly. Transfer to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Do not stack. Continue until all the batter is used, greasing the pan lightly in between as necessary.
- To finish the cherry sauce, combine the cornstarch and the remaining 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Add to the saucepan with the cherries and return to a boil over mediumhigh, stirring gently so you don’t crush the fruit. Cook until the mixture thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve right away.
- TO GET A HEAD START: The sauce can be prepared, as in step 3 and 5, up to 3 days ahead. Chill, covered. Gently reheat, without much stirring.