Corn Cakes with Blue Cheese and Honey

I've always enjoyed trying new recipes, but before I started Lisa's Kitchen, I would often make the same dishes, with little variation, over and over again until I tired of them. Cooking more often than not thus became a necessary chore and food a required fuel. There are still days when I have little time or inclination to cook, but this past year my kitchen has become my creative studio. Not only do I look forward to sharing culinary ideas with fellow food enthusiasts, I get to eat the products of my labour.

As elegant as these little corn cakes are, they were made on a lazy Sunday evening when I wanted something light but unique for dinner to go along with the red wine I had been enjoying for a few hours since afternoon breakfast. These chunky yet chewy cakes are mighty fine garnished with a bit of blue cheese and honey, or maybe goat's cheese or balsamic jam. Choose your own culinary adventure.

Corn Cakes with Blue Cheese and Honey

1 cup of cornmeal
1/4 cup of unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoons of cayenne
3/4 cup of boiling water
a few tablespoons of olive oil
7 ounces of blue cheese
a few tablespoons of honey

In a medium-large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, cayenne, paprika and salt. Pour in the boiling water and stir until the mixture is well combined and forms into a dough.

Shape the dough into small one inch round balls and with damp hands, flatten them into 1/2 inch thick cakes.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, fry the cakes until they are golden brown - roughly one minute per side. Drain on paper towels and top with blue cheese and a bit of honey.

Serve warm. Makes approximately 12 corn cakes.