cayenne corn cakes

Soup and bread is the perfect combo...unless the soup is spicy.  When you add spice to the mix, you've gotta have corn to sweeten things up a bit!

These corn cakes are easy and delicious - the perfect accompaniment to your favorite spicy soup.  I like them with tortilla soup, but this week we had them with a black bean soup.  They contain green onions and cayenne, adding their own level of spice to the meal.  But the natural sweetness of corn rounds everything out.  They are a must for your next night of Mexican food.

Cayenne Corn Cakes
Adapted from Gooseberry Patch's Celebrate Year Round

• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. sugar
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 T. butter, melted
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 cup frozen corn

In a small bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and cayenne pepper.  In a separate bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk and butter.  Add egg mixture to cornmeal mixture and stir lightly.  Fold in green onions and corn.  In a heated cast iron skillet coated with oil, place heaping tablespoons of batter; brown and flip as you would pancakes.  Top with sour cream and salsa.  Serves 4.