CORN GRIDDLE CAKES WITH SAUSAGE

Corn Griddle Cakes with Sausage image

Provided by Edward Lee

Yield Makes 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

Orange-honey butter:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Corn cakes:
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (about 7 ounces) breakfast sausage, casings removed if necessary
1 1/2 cups fresh (or frozen, thawed) corn kernels
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
6 scallions, chopped

Steps:

For orange-honey butter:
Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in honey and orange zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
For corn cakes:
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Spoon milk solids from surface and discard. Pour clarified butter into a small glass measuring cup (there should be about 1/4 cup), leaving any browned bits behind; set aside. (Alternatively, use 1/4 cup grapeseed oil.)
Cook sausage in a 10" cast-iron skillet or other large heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking up into small pieces with the back of a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a small bowl. Add corn to same skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned, 5-6 minutes. Transfer corn to bowl with sausage and let cool. Wipe skillet clean and reserve.
Whisk cornmeal and next 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk and eggs in a large bowl; add dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Fold in sausage, corn, and scallions.
Heat 1 tablespoon clarified butter in reserved skillet; working in batches and adding butter as needed between batches, add batter to pan by tablespoonfuls. Cook until cakes are crisp and golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Turn cakes over and cook until browned, 1-2 minutes longer. Transfer cakes to paper towels to drain. Serve warm drizzled with orange-honey butter.