bobby flay's corn and wild rice pancakes

i used to be a big fan of bobby flay. it was about a hundred years ago when i was in college and he seemed to be doing a little more cooking and a little less posturing. i found him charming, and he made some really good looking food. somewhere during that time i found his cookbook bold american food on clearance and while i still haven't done a ton of cooking from it, several recipes have become firmly planted in the rotation. one such recipe is bobby's corn and wild rice pancakes, seasoned with honey, chilis, and cilantro, which i serve with honey butter.

i'm not a pancake maker. not at all. good pancakes are an art form, and i'm sure people who have perfected technique and recipes can make a couple of tweaks to this one with good results. that said, these are great as is-- a little like a cross between a pancake and a crepe. they may seem like a fall dish, but it's really all about how you serve them. next to roasted chicken and butternut squash? a hearty fall meal. with grilled asparagus spears? a light and satisfying spring dinner, or brunch! 

corn & wild rice pancakes 
from bobby flay's bold american food 
makes 10-12 (i always halve the recipe and have just enough for 2 people)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp canned pureed chipotles (i substitute sriracha hot chili sauce-- these definitely benefit from a little heat!)
1 cup cooked wild rice
6 scallions, chopped (i used a handful of chives from the garden)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup roasted corn kernels (see below)
salt and freshly ground pepper
honey butter to serve (purchased or make your own-- recipe at bottom of post)

for the roasted corn kernels:

if starting with corn on the cob, remove the silk and all but one layer of the husk. cover kernels with remaining husk. dip in water and cook in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes on a baking sheet, or grill until cooked and tender. remove husk and scrape kernels from cob. 

if starting with frozen corn kernels as i did, thaw completely and drain off as much liquid as possible. (if using canned corn, drain well and follow the rest of these steps.) saute in a dry, nonstick pan or griddle until the kernels begin to color, stirring frequently. 

in a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, butter, milk, flour, honey, and baking powder to make a batter. add the chilis or hot sauce, rice, scallions or chives, corn, ground pepper, and a generous pinch or two of salt. (can be made up to 4 hours in advance.)

in a nonstick pan or griddle over low heat, pour 1/4 cup of batter. (i usually get two pans going at once here to speed things up.) cook until brown, about 3 minutes. flip when air bubbles are  visible in the center and cook other side until golden. serve with honey butter. 

honey butter

3 parts butter, room temperature
1 part honey

mix well (mixer, whisk, whatever works) and refrigerate. 

i've been reading back through the cookbook recently and taking mad notes on new recipes i'd like to try. while i don't always love his attitude, the man knows big flavors, and i suspect some of these dishes are going to be fantastic summertime fare. the smoke, the spice, the char, the herbs, the marinades, the chilis, the rowdy relishes on grilled meats... yeah, my relationship with mr. flay just may become reignited very soon...