March 24, 2023
Cooking with the Dominicans: Perry County corn cakes with Father John Vidmar, O.P.
Fish is often the standard choice for Catholics observing the obligation to abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent. However, it’s not an option for Father John Vidmar, O.P., of the Department of History, who is allergic to fish.
Instead, as part of the Cooking with the Dominicans series, he demonstrates how to whip up a batch of Perry County corn cakes, an Appalachian recipe that he learned from a fellow Dominican.
Perry County corn cakes
- 1 cup white cornmeal
- 1 cup white flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp corn oil
- Butter for the pan
- Mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, add the baking soda to the buttermilk, then beat in the eggs, sugar, and corn oil.
- Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet over medium high heat.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
- Pour the batter into the hot skillet.
- Cook each cake until it is light brown on its underside, 1 – 2 minutes, then flip and cook it a half minute more.
- Add butter to the skillet as you cook more cakes.
- Serve them immediately with a pat of butter for each.
