CORN AND TOMATO PANCAKES WITH GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

Corn and Tomato Pancakes with Green Goddess Dressing image

These savory pancakes highlight the best of summer produce by including ripe tomatoes and freshly cut corn into the batter. A tangy green goddess dressing speckled with fresh herbs finishes the dish -- it's perfect for a light summer lunch with a glass of iced tea.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 50m

Yield 4 servings (12 pancakes)

Number Of Ingredients 22

Ingredients

1 medium heirloom or beefsteak tomato, cored, seeded and roughly chopped (about 4 ounces)
1 ear fresh corn, shucked
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (see Cook's Note)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon coarse-ground yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup lightly packed fresh parsley leaves, plus more for serving
1/4 cup lightly packed chopped fresh chives, plus more cut into 2-inch lengths for serving
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 large fresh basil leaves, plus more whole leaves for serving
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with two kitchen towels stacked on top of each other and place in the oven. This will keep your cooked pancakes warm.
Place the chopped tomatoes on paper towels, pressing gently to remove as much excess liquid as possible, then place the tomatoes in a bowl. Shear off the corn kernels with a sharp knife (you should have about 1 cup) and stir into the tomatoes.
Whisk the flour, cornstarch, confectioners' sugar, baking powder, salt, pepper and baking soda together in a large bowl. Whisk the milk, melted butter and eggs together in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until they are just combined (it's okay if there are some lumps). Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the dressing: Put the mayonnaise, sour cream, 1/4 cup parsley, 1/4 cup chives, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon basil, anchovy paste, salt and pepper into the bowl of food processor and pulse, scraping the sides with a rubber spatula as needed, until the herbs are chopped and the dressing is thoroughly combined. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Ladle a heaping 1/4 cup of the batter into the skillet, spreading it into a 4 1/2-inch round; repeat to make another pancake. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the corn and tomato mixture over each pancake, then sprinkle each with about 1/4 teaspoon cornmeal. Cook, until bubbles break the surface of the pancakes, and the undersides are golden brown, about 1 minute 30 seconds. Flip the pancakes with a spatula and cook until the vegetables begin to brown in spots and the batter is cooked through on the second side, about 1 minute 30 seconds more.
Transfer the pancakes, vegetable side up, to the baking sheet in the oven, tucking them between the two kitchen towels. Repeat with the remaining batter, corn and tomato mixture and cornmeal to make more pancakes.
When ready to serve, place 3 pancakes on each plate. Drizzle with the Green Goddess Dressing and top each serving with some of the whole herbs and chive batons.