Serves a Crowd

Sweet Corn Arepa Pancakes

August 18, 2010
5
2 Ratings
  • Serves 8-10 pancakes
Author Notes

Trolling supermarkets in Far Rockaway when I worked there, always afforded me low prices and amazing Central and South American food finds. One of them were arepas (unleavened bread made of corn and usually farmers cheese of Columbian/Venezuelan extraction that can be baked, fried, or grilled) that I always bought "de choclo"...or stuffed with cheese. I think of them as a grilled cheese corncake because the cheese runs completely through them. They were sweet and savory at the same time and I would often eat them combined with grilled shrimp or with a berry compote. Traditionally, aprepas are made with arepa flour but all I had was cornmeal. I ended up with a slightly more sweet but pleasantly crunchy corn cake infused with whole and pureed fresh corn, bright orange flavor, and fluffy farmers cheese. They would be equally delicious for breakfast or "brinner"...breakfast for dinner, hot or cold. - testkitchenette —testkitchenette

Test Kitchen Notes

Bursting with fresh sweet corn and orange, Testkitchenette’s Sweet Corn Arepa Pancakes were a snap to put together, thanks to her spot on directions, and a flavorful alternative to the traditional pancake. I was a little nervous after pouring the first pancake, as the batter looked a bit runny; I should not have worried though, because almost impossibly, the cake firms up and flips nicely. Just be sure to watch your heat, as they do brown up quickly once your pan is hot. Farmer’s cheese provides a nice contrast, giving the cakes a bit of body and tang, while crunchy cornmeal makes them sturdy. For serving at a party, the only thing I might change is the size of the cakes – reduced from ¼ cup to two tablespoons, and topped with any number of savory items, these little cakes would be the perfect one-bite finger food.- gingerroot —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 ears of corn, cut from cob (puree one ear and reserve the other ear or corn)
  • 1/3 cup farmers cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
  1. Bring orange juice to a boil and add the butter. Take off the heat and let sit until butter melts. Let cool.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Stir in the orange juice and butter mixture, pureed and whole corn kernels, egg, and farmers cheese, and mix to combine. Let sit for a few minutes to let flavors marry.
  3. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and pour 1/4 c. of batter into the skillet. Fit as many pancakes as you can without overcrowding. Cook for about 5-7 minutes and flip when browned on the bottom...some dark brown spots are good. Flip them and cook the other side for about another 5 minutes.
  4. Serve with berries/syrup, with ice cream, with more crumbled farmers cheese on top, or my favorite...cold out the the refrigerator.

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1 Review

lapadia August 18, 2010
Love this recipe's flavor combo and love "brinner"!