Corn Cakes

I've had a really hot and cold relationship with corn throughout the years. Sometimes, it frequents our table tops regularly- and during the cold and aloof seasons, not even the tiniest kernal can be traced in our house. Or mouths.

Recently however, it's been a staple. And these little corn cakes are to live for! Oh how they were delicious and truthfully, I snarfed nearly all of them; no wonder my husband has a very faint recollection of ever eating these.

And I'm starting to think that this genre of food is my kind of food. How do I mean? Well, I love most anything that ends in "cake"- grind up some lima beans, fry it in oil, call it lima-bean cake, and you betcha, it's gonna go down fast. Secondly, I am all about the flavor combinations including cilantro, corn, scallions, beans-when present, and some form of cheese. That, is my kind of food.

Goat cheese or feta cheese on top {would} make it even more divine if we had a Trader Joes around this joint (ahem, cough cough)....where I could stalk me up some cheap gourmet cheeses!! Alas, I used ricotta, as shown in the picture, and surprisingly, it was still sensational!!! The cilantro too, is a really, you-should-use-it-too, must on top.

Corn-Cornmeal Zucchini Cakes

{Everyday Food-May 2010}

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 cups corn (from 3 ears corn)

1 small zucchini, diced small

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 scallions, very thinly sliced

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup cornmeal

2 ounces fresh goat or feta, OR ricotta cheese

Cilantro- the fresh stuff, chopped

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium. Add corn and zucchini and season with salt and pepper; cook until vegetables soften slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool, 5 minutes. Add scallions, eggs, and cornmeal to corn mixture and stir to combine.

Wipe skillet clean, then heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium. In batches, cook cupfuls corn mixture until set on bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until cakes are cooked through, 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Sprinkle corn cakes with cheese and cilantro.