Matt Ratcliffe's, the executive chef at BLT Steak, sometimes features hoe cakes as a special at the restaurant. oe Hoe cakes are likened to a pancake or cornbread, but to call it a cross between the two just doesn't do them justice. They are connected to the South, and here, Chef Matt shares his recipe and the inspiration behind it.
Why hoe cakes?
I really had to think back and remember the things and times, when life was just simple and delicious. A hoe cake, is one of those things for me. Nothing fancy. No Michelin star. Just a fried corn cake with some sorghum syrup. I believe that most chefs (especially in the southern regions) have gone back to our childhoods and our early memories. It’s really about our grandparents and parents, what they cooked, and that which we loved so much.
How do the hoe cakes remind you of childhood?
Nine times out of 10, I did not eat the food on the table because my grandparents were not great cooks- except for the corn bread, which she did make very well. When it came to my grandfather, he enjoyed the cornbread mixed with buttermilk and green onions. This was most nights, and one of the things that inspired me to be a chef.
Credit: Alexa Lampasona
Credit: Alexa Lampasona
BLT. Steak’s hoe cakes
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- 1 cup self-rising corn meal
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup butter milk
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon sugar(optional if you want them sweet)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup bacon grease or oil for frying
Method:
Mix all dry ingredients. Incorporate beaten eggs and butter milk and mix well and incorporated. For me a cast iron skillet is best for this but any frying pan will work.
About the Author
