Corn Pancakes with Balsamic Blueberry Sauce from Eats Well With Others

Corn Pancakes with Balsamic Blueberry Sauce

This coming Tuesday will be Shrove Tuesday. From my earliest food memories this day has always been referred to as "Pancake Day." As a child I loved the fact that we could have "breakfast for dinner," long before it ever became a catch phrase. We would climb into our pyjamas and gather around the large wooden dining room table wolfing down as many pancakes as we could handle at such a tender young age.


Of course Canada is not the only country celebrating this time of year. Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday" and celebrated world wide. Paczki Day (pronounced much like ‘punch-key’) is celebrated in Poland; and then there is Italy with Carnavale, and Britain with Shrove Tuesday. All of these celebrations have roots born from the necessity to use up our household perishables such as eggs and dairy which are generally banned during Lent. If you practice religious holidays this is your last night to indulge in rich, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season. So let's get started early.

What kid, or adult for that matter, wouldn't want to have pancakes for dinner with loads of Canadian maple syrup!!!! You don't have to be British, Catholic, Polish, follow Lent, have maple syrup, or be in New Orleans or Italy to have some delicious pancakes for dinner on Shrove Tuesday! These days I don't even need an excuse to have breakfast for dinner.

I found this recipe over at Eats Well With Others that has just the right amount of sweet and savoury for me to satisfy my soul. I highly recommend Joanne's recipe to create a more grown up version of your childhood favourite. You will not be disappointed. The balsamic blueberry sauce is Joannes own creation and the best pancake topping I have had in a long time. I bet these pancakes would be excellent in the waffle maker as well. So start thinking now of how you'll celebrate whether it be with pancakes, King Cake or castagnole. February is the perfect time to rejuvenate and get over the winter "blahs."Grab some beads, some coins and head to the kitchen!

**Corn Pancakes with Balsamic Blueberry Sauce**

recipe from Joanne of Eats Well With Others

2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 1 ear's worth)
1 egg
1 1/4 cups reduced fat buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt

In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the corn kernels and sauté until just starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Toss in a pinch of salt, stir and remove to a bowl to cool, reserving pan.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg until lightly beaten. Whisk in the buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, and corn. In a separate, smaller bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir the dry into the wet ingredients just until combined. Add more flour or milk as needed until batter is the right consistency - slightly thick but still pourable.

Heat the skillet that was used to cook the corn over medium heat. Ladle 1/4 cup batter at a time onto the pan, leaving about 2 inches in-between each pancake. Cook on one side until small bubbles start to form on the top of the pancakes and the sides are just set and then flip and cook for another minute. Repeat with remaining batter.

Blueberry Balsamic Sauce

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch

In a small saucepan, heat the blueberries, water and sugar until boiling. Boil gently over low heat for five minutes. Add in the balsamic vinegar and cornstarch. Simmer until thick, with a syrupy consistency.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

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