Delicious corn cakes with steak and pan-roasted tomatoes

This recipe for corn cakes is from Real Simple (July 2011). These were FANTASTIC! Exactly what I'd been craving - carbs, hearty - yet light, great texture and flavor and something different. I had been feeling in a cooking rut. I was really tired of the same old meals, the same old flavors.

This recipe can be simple (just the corn cakes with  a jarred salsa for topping) or more labor intensive (like I made it, with all the above pictured toppings).

Ingredients for the cakes:
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. olive oil
s/p
3/4 cup GF all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
1 large egg
1 cup corn kernels (plus more for serving, if desired)

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and pepper. Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the milk, egg and 1 Tbsp. of oil.

 

Whisk together the wet ingredients, then incorporate the dry ingredients. Stir in the corn.

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a large skillet, working in batches, drop heaping 1/4 cup portions of batter into the skillet and cook until golden brown and cooked through. 

 

Serve the corn cakes with corn, sour cream, salsa, cheese, avocado, lime, cilantro, etc. 

For this meal, I served them as a side dish to skirt steak with pan-roasted tomatoes.