JOHNNY CAKES WITH RHUBARB AND SOUR CHERRIES
Hello, there. I have to admit I nearly forgot about this space in the months that have passed. Things are starting to open up—schools and shops and a life we once knew, and with it, all the feelings. So many feelings. I have a lot to say about that, but for now, mostly the feeling that is sticking with me is hope: a hope to preserve some of what we’ve had in these times, some of what we’ve learned. The slowness and still. The closeness. The hidden joys. Silver linings.
Gratitude to be alive, healthy.
On the other side of a pandemic (nearly, though not yet..) my kids feel gigantic. Still always hungry, but with the opportunity to head to restaurant every now and again, to play with a friend in the neighbors yard, who might feed them a grilled cheese while they’re there—the chore of feeding my people three meals a day around the clock forever and ever amen feels suddenly lighter. It’s spring, too, of course. Spring has a way of bringing new energy, this year more than ever. The garden feels like a literal miracle, after months of hibernation and snow. And every green—or sometimes pink (Swiss chard! Rhubarb!) —thing that is popping up feels more like gold than something we will merely harvest and consume. I spend hours looking at every new bud longingly, this year through new eyes.
Rhubarb has always been this for me—from the giant, towering patches in my mother’s backyard, to the baby shoots—dug up from our neighbor’s enormous rhubarb root system many moons ago that have now taken hold, finally, for good; rhubarb signals promise. The first fruits.
Here’s one way we enjoy it, lightly stewed in pure maple syrup with a dash of sour cherry juice and the cherries themselves, to deepen color and deliver on that gobsmacking tartness that makes one feel utterly alive. It’s a brilliant topping for any pancake, waffle, porridge, rice pudding, yogurt and of course, ice cream. This comes from my book, Every Day is Saturday, and I can scarcely believe I’ve never shared it with you here, too. I hope you love it like we do.
RECIPE, BELOW.
JOHNNY CAKES WITH RHUBARB AND SOUR CHERRIES
Reprinted with permission from Every Day Is Saturday (Chronicle Books)
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 20 MINUTES
SERVES 4 (8 large pancakes)
Johnny cakes are an addictive southern specialty, set apart from regular pancakes for their texture and taste. Their corn flavor is hard to mistake, making them a perfect backdrop for butter and maple syrup. My family especially loves them with a bit of tangy, juicy summer fruit on top: rhubarb, lightly steeped in maple syrup and tossed with sour cherries or raspberries.
These aren’t textbook Johnny cakes, but this recipe makes gorgeous pancakes and is still easy enough to make on repeat every weekend.
TOPPING
2 thick stalks ruby red rhubarb, sliced on the bias (about 2 cups/200 g)
¼ cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
One 24-oz (680-g) jar pitted sour cherries, in syrup or juices
PANCAKES
1 cup (140 g) fine to medium cornmeal
1 cup (140 g) all-purpose flour or (155 g) gluten-free flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp fine sea salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
11⁄3 cups (320 ml) buttermilk
4 Tbsp (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for cooking
Plain yogurt, for serving
TO MAKE THE TOPPING: Combine the rhubarb and maple syrup in a medium pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cook over medium-low heat until the syrup bubbles just slightly and the rhubarb is steaming, but not breaking down, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let the rhubarb sit in the syrup until it softens but is still holding its shape and bright red in color. Toss with the cherries and just enough of the cherry juices to turn the syrup red, but still leave it thick enough to drizzle with a spoon (½ to ¾ cup [120 to 180 ml] of the cherry syrup); set aside.
TO MAKE THE PANCAKES: Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and melted butter. Add to the dry ingredients and mix together until the batter resembles a loose muffin batter, being careful not to over mix; you want to keep these pancakes light and airy.
Preheat a cast-iron griddle or skillet over medium heat until evenly warm. Add a knob (about 2 Tbsp) of butter to coat the surface. (Cooking in butter makes golden, gorgeous pancakes.) When the butter sizzles, drop batter in 1⁄3 cupfuls (80 ml) onto the skillet, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) between them, and cook until just starting to bubble around the edges. Flip (it should release easily from the griddle) and cook until just done, usually 1 to 2 minutes. You don’t want these to cook fully through, which can make them taste dry. Pull them a second before you think they are ready; the batter will continue to steam and set inside on their way to the plate. Repeat until all the batter is used.
Serve the pancakes warm, topped with yogurt and the rhubarb and cherries, and drizzled with any extra juices.
** recipes and images belong to Sarah Copeland and should not be used or pinned without attribution. **
STYLING // SARAH COPELAND
PHOTO // GENTL + HYERS