These fresh cornmeal cakes are wonderful for breakfast or as a side dish. They can be served simply with butter or topped with scrambled eggs with tomatoes and onions.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 cup yellow cornmeal

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 cup grated mild Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella cheese

　　1 cup milk

　　2 tablespoons butter, plus more for serving

　　1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

　　3 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil

　　

Step 1

Put the cornmeal in a food processor or blender and grind until fine. Transfer to a large bowl and mix with the salt and cheese.

　　

Step 2

Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a steady simmer. Add the butter and stir until melted. Remove from the heat and stir into the cornmeal mixture to form a thick batter. Fold in the corn kernels.

　　

Step 3

Let the batter rest until it thickens into a soft dough, about 15 minutes. Form 1-inch balls from the mixture and flatten with your palm to 1/4-inch-thick disks.

　　

Step 4

Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the arepas, working in batches, until golden brown, about 5 minutes, then flip and cook for 3 minutes on the other side. Serve hot with butter.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.