Summer

Cachapas Venezuelan fresh corn pancakes

by:
June 18, 2013
5
1 Ratings
Cachapas Venezuelan fresh corn pancakes
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

This is the number one reason I dream about corn season, since this recipe works best with fresh sweet corn. This dish is eaten warm with cheese. The texture of the cakes is very moist and even though its sweetness contrast well with the salty cotija cheese it can be eaten on its own. —Mi Budare

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1/2 butter stick plus more for the pan
  • 6 cups fresh corn about 6 ears
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup yellow precooked corn meal
  • 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
  • Cotija cheese to sprinkle on top (optional)
Directions
  1. Melt the half stick of butter. Set a side.
  2. Blend the corn, whole milk, eggs, sugar, salt and melted butter until the corn has puree completely about 1 minute.
  3. Add the precooked yellow corn meal and all-purpose flour to the blender and blend until just incorporated
  4. Heat a non-stick pan over medium low heat. Once heated put in the middle of the pan about 1/4 tsp of butter. Spread it around just a bit and put a little less than a 1/4 cup of batter on top of it. With the help of a spoon spread the batter until it is about 4 inches in diameter.
  5. Cook for 2 minutes or until the cachapas are golden crispy on the edges and have set enough that they can be flip. They should have a deep brown color. Cook on the other side for another minute.
  6. Sprinkle with cheese if available. Serve warm.
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6 Reviews

bugbitten
bugbitten August 22, 2013
Hey, I can only get fresh cheese from Central America. I'll make these when I'm back from Canada. I'm thinking All Carib: Ropa Vieja, plantanos, maybe jerk chicken? !Gracias!
 
Mi B.
Mi B. August 22, 2013
I am glad you want to try it. I work really hard to create a recipe that would work.
It is very difficult to find cheeses from South America in the US, but mexican cotija is a good substitute. I also use farmer's cheese in many of my recipes, and it will definitely work here too. Also, you gotta be careful with the corn that you buy. Not every corn in the store will work. Ideally, you will use plain yellow corn not the sweet variety, but it seems imposible to find in the US. So I created this recipe that yields good results with on season sweet corn. Other corns won't come together or develop the same flavor. Conclusion buy fresh corn in the husk!
 
bugbitten
bugbitten August 22, 2013
Ayudame! I am confused as to how we people describe corn. In the US there is sweet corn which we eat, and I have also heard of "cow corn" which is grown to feed farm animals. My thinking is that the cow corn is more of a second harvest. The cow corn may not have much time to mature, and is more starchy. The people corn is left to ripen until that starch turns to sugars. Am I way wrong? I have seen many Mexican "street corn" recipes, like elote con crema, which I thought were meant to cover up not-very-ripe corn. But I am guessing you are born in Venezuala and I'm running out of guesses. Thanks for a "corn fritter" recipe that I will surely make.
 
Mi B.
Mi B. August 22, 2013
I know it is all very confusing. There are so many varieties of corn! I actually don't know much myself, but I can tell you that the corn I grew up eating is a lot less sweet than the US sweet corn. The things I look for in a corn are that when pressed a milky substance comes out, and (this is going to sound weird) that it looks opaque (if you pay attention during the winter you will see corn that looks sort of clear).
I hope I have not intimidated you! Just try it and let me know how it goes : )
By the way, Banff was the best vacation I have ever taken. I saw so much wild life. My husband and I would live the hotel very early, just before dawn, and take a side route famous for having all sort of animals. Hope you will have as much fun as we did, and be aware of BEARS!
 
bugbitten
bugbitten August 22, 2013
Santo Oso pray for me!
 
Mi B.
Mi B. August 23, 2013
Jajajajajajajajajajaja!