Gold Corn Johnny Cakes
Native Americans showed the Pilgrims how to cook with maize (corn) and probably taught them to make johnny cake, a dense cornmeal bread whose thick batter is shaped into a flat cake and baked or fried on a griddle. These cakes (basically just fried corn bread) are the perfect vehicle for many toppings. One of my favorites is barbecued duck and cranberry butter. Feel free to make your own cranberry relish, use what’s left over from your holiday meal, or purchase a good-quality prepared one.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Barbecued Duck
Johnny Cakes
Cranberry Butter
Preparation
Step 1
To cook the duck, preheat the oven to 325°F.
Step 2
Season the duck legs on both sides with salt and pepper and brush with 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce. Heat the oil in a large deep ovenproof pot over high heat until it begins to shimmer. Sear the legs on both sides until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Add the remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce and the chicken stock to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook in the oven until the meat begins to fall off the bone, about 2 hours.
Step 3
Remove the duck from the braising liquid and set aside to cool slightly. Strain the braising liquid and reserve. When the duck is cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces and discard the bones.
Step 4
Combine the shredded meat with 1/2 cup of the reserved braising liquid in a sauté pan over medium heat and warm until heated through. Add the chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper.
Step 5
To make the johnny cakes, reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
Step 6
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Step 7
Whisk the egg yolks and milk together in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk the egg whites in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.
Step 8
Add the egg yolk mixture to the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Gently fold in the egg whites followed by the 2 tablespoons melted butter, mixing until the batter is just smooth. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Step 9
Heat a large nonstick sauté pan or cast-iron pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Brush with some melted butter. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of the batter into the pan for each johnny cake and, using a small offset spatula, spread the batter slightly to even out the tops. Cook until light golden brown on each side, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve. Repeat with the remaining batter, buttering the pan as needed between batches.
Step 10
Spread some of the cranberry butter over each johnny cake and mound some of the duck on top. Garnish with parsley leaves and a drizzle of the braising liquid.
Cranberry Butter
Step 11
Combine the butter, cranberry relish, and maple syrup in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Scrape into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld. The cranberry butter can be made 1 day in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.
