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Mexican Corn Cakes

You can find masa harina, Mexican corn flour, in the ethnic section of many supermarkets. Cotija, also known as queso anejado, is a crumbly, aged white cheese; look for it in specialty-food stores or Mexican or Latin markets.
Martha Stewart Living, April 2006
  • Prep Time 5 minutes
  • Total Time 15 minutes
  • Yield Makes 8
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups masa harina
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2 cup grated cotija cheese
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen corn kernels (about 2 ears)
  • 3/4 to 1 cup warm water (110 degrees)
  • 4 to 6 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

  1. Whisk together masa harina, flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in cheese and corn kernels. Add water, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring after each addition until mixture holds together.

  2. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, scoop a heaping 1/2 cup mixture, and use your hands to shape into a patty, about 1/3 inch thick. Repeat with remaining mixture, forming 8 patties.

  3. Working in batches of 4, fry patties, turning once, until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. If pan becomes dry, add 2 tablespoons oil for second batch. Cover patties with foil to keep warm, up to 30 minutes.

Recipe Reviews

Reviews (1)

  • klokanek
    24 Jun, 2012

    Amazing! I followed the recipe exactly and found it very easy, and my company raved about how good they were. I like Bob's Red Mill masa harina, though there are other brands. It's definitely worth the effort to find it and the cotija!