Get the most out of fresh corn season by making tender Corn Cakes topped with spicy Shrimp and Tomatoes for a fresh and easy weeknight dinner.
I’ve come to the conclusion that writing about summer recipes for me is a giant paradox. You see, as I was beginning to write about these awesome corn cakes, I was going to repeat essentially everything I’ve said over and over again. Maybe I don’t really contradict myself so much, it’s that I just love food and I can’t get enough of it when it comes into season.
While I stopped being a picky eater, I am picky about the time of year I eat certain foods. I won’t buy berries in the winter, corn past September/October is basically tasteless to me and don’t get me started on tomatoes. The window is small for the best flavors and I will do my best to eat as many as I possible can in the month of August.
You might think this limits what I eat, but really it broadens my horizons because it means when other foods are in season, I just eat as much as can when they are at their peak.
So here we are in August and corn is freaking awesome right now. Seriously, go to the farmer’s market or a street side stand that sells them and buy a ton. It’s cheap, you can probably get three ears for a buck and just grill or steam it and then slather it with butter.
After you get your fill that way, buy more and have some fun with it. My personal favorite is fresh corn cakes, where it’s easy to go sweet or savory. I went the savory route this time topping it with spiced plump shrimp, tomatoes and a touch of creamy feta. This meal comes together quickly, albeit maybe a little messy, for a weeknight meal that says summer.
Taking the corn off the kernels is the most challenging part and next to that is whipping up some egg whites to make the cakes light as air. A word of advice, do not over cook them on the griddle, as they dry out quickly. The batter may seem thin but I promise it’ll set up and flip with ease as soon as it starts to brown.
Ingredients
- 2 ears corn, kernels removed (about 3 cups worth)
- 1 1/4 cups cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted plus extra for the griddle/pan
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs, separated
- 1/2lb extra large shrimp, shelled and cleaned
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 ounces feta cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together the corn, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, cumin, onion, garlic powders and cayenne pepper. In a small bowl whisk together the milk, melted butter and egg yolks and add it to the dry ingredients. Mix well to combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they reach soft peaks. Gently fold in the egg whites until they are combined, it's fine that the whites collapse.
- Heat a griddle or large saute pan over medium heat and melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Drop 1/3 cup of batter onto the griddle to form the cakes. The batter will be thin and the cakes will spread, so it's best to drop a small amount of batter to let it set and then the remaining amount on top. Add more to the pan but make sure not to crowd it (I suggest no more than 4 cakes to a pan). Cook 2-3 minutes per side or until it's golden brown and firm to flip. Remove to a plate tented with foil to keep warm. Add more butter to the griddle as you continue to cook the rest of the cakes.
- While the corn cakes are cooking, in a medium bowl mix together the shrimp with the olive oil, ancho chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon of avocado oil and cook the shrimp for 3-4 minutes or until they are pink throughout. Set aside.
- To serve, pile 2 corn cakes on a plate with 4 pieces of shrimp, a pile of cherry tomatoes and a sprinkling of crumbled feta.
- Serves 4
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I love anything with shrimp any time of year! Yum!
What a flavorful dinner! Great idea to serve it with corn cakes.
I agree with you that if it’s not in season it takes terrible and not worth the money anyway. I always try to buy seasonal and farmers markets are the best of course! This is a perfect recipe for August!
Sounds like a great way to enjoy summer corn! And all of the other flavors…perfect summertime meal!
What a great looking dish! I looks like it’s a lot of fun to eat!
I’ve been gorging on fresh, cheap, local corn lately. These corn cakes would be a great way to liven up how I’ve been eating the stuff. That shrimp looks so delicious and perfectly cooked. I don’t mind that this is messy – messy food is often the best tasting food, in my opinion!
Now this looks like summer on a dish – I love love LOVE corn cakes so this recipe is going on the must try list!
I swear I haven’t had corn enough this season. I better hurry before it’s long gone. Your recipe and the colors of your photography are so vibrant!!
Oh man, I am loving this recipe way too much. I can’t get enough corn right now. Kiana hasn’t gotten any yet but she comes home tomorrow & I’m making it right away. I might give this a whirl, minus the shrimp though, totally allergic. Ha. Wish I wasn’t though. Totally sucks.
I agree that most fruits and veggies are meant to be consumed at the height of their season. Corn and tomatoes definitely fall into that category, and I can’t get enough of them right now. This corn cake recipe looks too good to be true!
I am also loving corn right now! This looks so light and fresh, love it!
There is seriously nothing like eating seasonal. Tomatoes in the summer are my FAVORITE part about summer. Well except maybe corn. Eh. I love them both 🙂 I love the looks of these corn cakes and I would devour all that shrimp on top…yum!