BLUE CORNMEAL PANCAKES WITH BLUEBERRY BUTTER

Blue Cornmeal Pancakes With Blueberry Butter image

This tart-but-sweet butter brings an extra hue of cerulean to dusty-blue cornmeal pancakes, but it also happens to be our favorite butter for muffins or scones.

Provided by Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Categories Brunch Breakfast Summer Cornmeal Buttermilk Soy Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Vegetarian Kid-Friendly

Yield Makes 14-16 pancakes

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

Blueberry butter:
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup fresh blueberries, washed and thoroughly dried
2 teaspoons blueberry preserves
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch of kosher salt
Pancakes:
1½ cups blue cornmeal
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1½ cups buttermilk
¼ cup canola or grapeseed oil
Nonstick cooking spray
Maple syrup

Steps:

Blueberry butter:
Add the butter, blueberries, preserves, coriander, and salt to a food processor. Blend until smooth. (Store in the fridge, wrapped in paper or plastic, or in a butter keeper, for up to 5 days; or freeze for up to 3 months.)
Tip: A stick of butter coming out of the fridge can take a surprisingly long time to come to room temperature. To speed it up, cut the butter into ½-inch pieces and leave on the counter; it should be at room temp in 10 to 12 minutes.
Pancakes:
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and oil until smooth.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to fold together until just combined. Do not overmix. Allow the batter to rest for about 5 minutes.
Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and grease lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using 2 heaping tablespoons of batter for each pancake. With the back of the spoon, gently spread the batter into a 3- to 4-inch circle. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until golden brown and the center of the pancake feels slightly firm to the touch, another 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.
Serve the pancakes hot with the blueberry butter and maple syrup.
Note: *Judy Kuhn is a brilliant Broadway actor who also just happens to be the singing voice of Pocahontas. It should also be noted that Vanessa Williams did a great job with the pop version of the song, which played over the closing credits.