Corn Cake Stacks with Aged Cheddar & Arugula

By ltrodrigu

When corn is in season, use it for these mouthwatering stacks. For easy cleanup, line the kitchen sink with newspaper and strip the husk and silk off the cobs over the sink. When finished, gather the paper around the husk and silk and throw it all away or compost it. To strip the kernels off the cob, stand it upright in a large shallow bowl and, with a chef’s knife, cut down to release the kernels. Reprinted from“The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Vegetable Cookbook” by Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell.

Ingredients

• 2 cups corn kernels, fresh (from about 2 ears) or frozen and thawed
• 1 ⁄4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 ⁄4 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
• 1 ⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 ounces shredded aged Cheddar
• 2 cups baby arugula

Details

Adapted from foxnews.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, stir together the corn, bell pepper, cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder, and egg yolks.

In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the corn mixture.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat.

Working in batches, drop half the batter by scant 1 ⁄4-cup mounds into the oil, flattening them slightly with a spatula, and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining batter and 2 tablespoons oil.

Divide the Cheddar among the corn cakes and bake for 1 minute, just until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven, top each with some of the arugula, and then stack 3 together making a total of 4 stacks. Serve immediately.