Ham and Cheese Griddle Cakes

BonAppetit Tastes of the World, p. 58 (U.S.A.)

¾ cup yellow cornmeal

¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups buttermilk

3 large eggs, separated

4 tablespoons (about) butter, melted

1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped ham

Maple Syrup

Chopped cold cuts it is!

Mix first 5 ingredients in large bowl to blend. 

Already a great texture.

Whisk buttermilk, egg yolks and 1 ½ tablespoons melted butter in medium bowl to blend. 

I don't get why people buy fancy egg-separators. You can scoop out the yolks just fine with a tablespoon.

Whisk into dry ingredients. 

And then turn and face that nefarious glob of stuff caught in the bottom of the whisk... if you dare!

Mix in cheese and ham. 

Of course Bon Appetit had to use blue cheese - the shredded cheese in a bag simply isn't luxurious enough, you see.

Beat egg whites in another bowl to stiff peaks. Fold whites into batter in 2 additions.

Heat 1 tablespoon melted butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, pour batter into skillet by ¼ cupfuls. 

This was before I realized that I could fit two pancakes into the skillet at a time.

Cook until cakes are puffed and golden, adding more butter to skillet for each batch if necessary, about 3 minutes per side. 

Keep adding the butter, or they'll get burned in the dry heat.

Transfer to plates. 

I've never been much good at making pancakes symmetrical and pretty. 

Serve with maple syrup. 

Maple syrup on anything = AWESOME. Trufax.

My Rating: 4/5 "A truly unique combination of flavors that actually go together exceptionally well. The blue cheese made my palate go "huh?" for the first few bites, but after you get used to the way it combines with the syrup, it's actually pleasant. The texture of the cakes themselves is wonderful - substantial but delicate at the same time."