Juana's Corncakes

1/2 cup softened butter
1/3 cup masa harina*
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups whole kernel corn, cooked and cooled
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup white sugar
2 T heavy whipping cream (add for option 1 only!! See below)
1/2 tsp baking powder

Beat the butter til it's creamy, then add the masa harina and water until it is all well mixed together. Mash up the whole kernel corn in a food processor (Juana had to work it by hand...feel lucky!) until it is mashed but still a little chunky, then mix it into the butter mixture.

Add the cornmeal, sugar, whipping cream and baking powder and mix thoroughly.

If you want to add a little bit of spice to your life, toss in some minced green chilies...

Now you get to make one of two choices:

1) pour the batter into an 8x8 baking pan, cover with foil and place into a 9x13 baking pan that has an inch of water in it. Bake it at 350 for 50-60 minutes and let it cool. Scoop it out and serve it on top of chili.

-or-

2) keep the whipping cream out of the batter, measure 1/2 cup patties onto a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 350, flip them over and bake for another 8 minutes or so, then serve with whatever you'd like (salsa verde, chili, taco meat in between two cakes...the possibilities are endless...Kino (in "The Pearl") just rolled them up and dipped them in sauce).

*masa harina is the traditional flour used to make tortillas. It is traditionally made from maize then treated in a lime/water solution. Mexican markets or stores with decent international sections will sell masa harina...sometimes it can be found next to the flour.