Coming in hot and crispy!
My first kitchen job was in the prep kitchen of a high end vegetarian restaurant. I worked hard for 8 hours every day, but I never managed to cross everything off my to-do list.
45 minutes to prep cabbage, carrots, cukes for the chop salad mix. 30 minutes to clean a case of little gems lettuce.
TA WHY are you so slow? I was going as fast as I could.
The one day my sous chef gave me five ears of corn to shuck. He watched me rip all the husks off in less than 30 seconds.
“Looks like you’ve done that once or twice.”
“I grew up in Indiana, chef. Corn fields for miles.”
Since moving to New York, I rarely mentioned my Midwestern childhood. But in that moment, my connection to corn, all those 5 pm husking sessions on the porch, became a lifeline. In the last year, I’ve tried to embrace my Midwestern roots more, while still staying true to the New Yorker I’ve become. These Crispy Corn Cakes are part of that new journey.
Crispy on the outside, soft in the center, these griddled corn cakes are my new favorite way to celebrate summer corn. Togarashi and scallions add zest and bite that compliments the sweetness of the corn, while that cooling dollop of sour cream tones down the back notes of heat.
If you’ve never used togarashi before, it’s a common Japanese spice blend, usually made up of toasted sesame seeds and dried citrus peel, seaweed, and chili flake. It’s spicy, but not overly hot, with the base note of umami from the nori and the light floral top notes of the citrus. In Japan, it’s often used as a table seasoning, similar to the salt and pepper in the states. I first tasted it at that same vegetarian restaurant, when I graduated from prep to line cook and worked my way up to the fry station, where I sprinkled it over crispy maitake mushrooms. I’ve loved it ever since.
For me, these corn cakes represent a merging of two worlds: eternal childhood summers shucking corn on the porch, and that one memorable New York summer hustling my butt off in a hot prep kitchen. Corn and togarashi. Indiana and New York City. For you? I just hope you make and enjoy them. Because a crispy corn cake with togarashi is damned tasty.
Enjoy!
Crispy Corn Cakes with Togarashi
(Makes 8)
1/3 cup (40 g.) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (40 g.) cornmeal
1 tablespoon togarashi, plus additional for serving
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups fresh corn kernels
2 scallions, finely sliced (about 1/3 cup), plus additional for serving
1 large egg
¼ cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil, for cooking
Sour cream, for serving
Method
In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, togarashi, baking powder, and kosher salt. Stir in corn and scallions.
In a large bowl, whisk together egg and milk. Fold in dry ingredients just until blended.
In a large (preferably cast-iron) pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium high heat. Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to drop 3 (¼-cup) puddles of batter into the pan. Cook until golden-brown on the bottom, 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook on the other side until cooked through, 1-2 minutes longer. Remove to a plate and keep warm.
Add another tablespoon oil to the pan (there should be some leftover from the previous batch) and repeat with three more cakes. Add the final tablespoon of batter for the last two cakes.
Serve topped with sour cream, scallions, and togarashi.
Originaly posted July 20, 2022.
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