PEAR MAPLE JOHNNYCAKE

By BobD

Ingredients

• 8 SERVINGS
• Johnnycake-essentially a cross between a pancake and corn bread-isn't fancy, but it's delicious.
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 firm-ripe Anjou pears, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cored
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, divided
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup stone-ground cornmeal (preferably white)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (preferably dark amber or Grade B)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• ACCOMPANIMENTS: pure maple syrup (for drizzling); sour cream

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from gourmet.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400F with rack in middle.

Melt butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet.

Brush a 9-inch cake pan (2 inches deep) with 1 tablespoon melted butter and reserve 6 tablespoons in a small bowl.

Sprinkle sugar evenly over butter remaining in skillet.

Arrange pears, cut sides up, in skillet and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.

Cook over medium heat 5 minutes, then turn pears over and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.

Cook until liquid pears give off has evaporated and cut sides are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes more.

Transfer pears, cut side down, to cake pan.

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg in a bowl.

Whisk in milk, syrup, eggs, and reserved butter just until smooth.

Pour over pears and bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool in pan on a rack 15 minutes, then run a knife around edge of cake to loosen and invert onto a platter.