Blueberry Cornmeal Griddle Cakes with Lemon Curd

one of my favorite things about eating food is that it not only feeds our bodies, but also feeds our souls. nothing else that i know of turns strangers into friends, evokes memories of people, places & experiences, and brings joy and light to our senses. all while nourishing and energizing us through life.

many foods remind me of my family. these in particular remind me of my mom.

my mom has always told stories of her grandmother's cornmeal cakes. she still remembers the way they would smell while she'd sit on her grandmother's back steps playing with their kittens. even though she has her grandmother's recipe, i don't know that she's ever quite been able to recreate her memories of those cakes. now, i think of my mom when i think of cornmeal cakes.

my mom is a fabulous cook. i credit her with my love of food. she always generously handed over her kitchen to her teenaged daughter to bake countless batches of chocolate chip cookies. that's where it all started for me. i think it was some time in those high school years that she introduced me to lemon curd. and oh, how we love it! when i see a jar of lemon curd on a grocery shelf, i have to restrain myself. (unless on the off chance that grocery shelf is at fortnum and mason in london, then i don't resist.) make this lemon curd the day before you make the cakes, so it has some good time to chill.

so this one's for you, momma.

Blueberry Cornmeal Griddle Cakes with Lemon Curd

Corn Cakes

1          cup gluten-free cornmeal

1/3       cup gluten-free all-purpose flour*
1          tablespoon sugar
1/2       teaspoon baking soda

1/4       teaspoon salt

3/4      cup buttermilk

1          tablespoon canola oil

1          cup fresh blueberries

Garnish: extra blueberries

1. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add buttermilk and oil; mix well until batter is thickened. Gently stir in blueberries.

2. Heat a griddle or large skillet lightly coated with oil over medium heat. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto griddle and cook about 3 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Carefully flip cakes with a spatula and cook other side for an additional 3 minutes or until done. Serve with lemon curd and extra blueberries.

Yield: 8 cakes.

*(i used king arthur gluten-free all-purpose flour)

Lemon Curd 
1          cup sugar 
finely grated zest of 3 lemons (organic, if possible)
 4         large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4       cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 4 to 5 lemons) 
1          cup plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into tablespoons

1. Combine sugar and lemon zest in a large metal bowl; mix sugar and zest with fingers until it becomes grainy. Add eggs and combine. Add lemon juice and combine.

 2. Fill a large saucepan that the metal bowl fits nicely over with about 2 inches of water. Bring water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Place bowl over simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Cook, whisking continuously, until mixture reaches 180`. (Use an instant read thermometer. This can take several minutes; don't give up whisking and remember that it's all worth it.)

3. Strain mixture into a blender container; discard lemon zest. Turn blender on high and gradually add butter, by the tablespoon, until all butter is added. Scrape down sides.  Let blender run for 3 minutes on high to make mixture fluffy.

4. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Cover mixture with plastic wrap, pressing wrap onto top of curd. Chill 4 hours or overnight.

*(curd can be kept in fridge, covered, for about a week... if it lasts that long.)

credit where credit is due: my sweet and fabulously talented friend, clare, spent last year in paris studying how to make perfect pastries. amazing, huh? this lemon curd recipe was one of her favorites from a famous gourmet pastry shop, where she worked. it is a slice of lemon-y heaven on earth. seriously. i contemplated licking the blender blades...

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