I wish I could say that I always knew about blue corn, as it’s indigenous to the Southwest and was an option in virtually every New Mexican restaurant in Albuquerque, but here’s the truth: Disney’s Pocahontas first exposed me to it. I had never “heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon,” but my interest was piqued! Blue corn? What, where, when, why, and how? I learned that blue corn can be traced back to the Pueblo Native American Indian tribes in New Mexico, and with its slightly sweet flavor and dusty blue hue it is one of the region’s most beautiful and cherished ingredients. The next time I noticed it on a menu, I went for it. It felt fancy and it was referenced in an Oscar-winning song. There is a whole scientific explanation as to why blue corn is blue, but I seem to have used up all my space talking about my love for Pocahontas. Just know that these crunchy pancakes are a tribute to that unique taste from my childhood—and to Judy Kuhn*. ~Jesse

　　

Ingredients

Makes 14–16 pancakes

　　

Blueberry butter:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

　　¼ cup fresh blueberries, washed and thoroughly dried

　　2 teaspoons blueberry preserves

　　¼ teaspoon ground coriander

　　Pinch of kosher salt

　　

Pancakes:

1½ cups blue cornmeal

　　¼ cup all-purpose flour

　　1 tablespoon sugar

　　1½ teaspoons baking powder

　　½ teaspoon baking soda

　　¼ teaspoon kosher salt

　　2 large eggs, lightly beaten

　　1½ cups buttermilk

　　¼ cup canola or grapeseed oil

　　Nonstick cooking spray

　　Maple syrup

　　

Blueberry butter:

Step 1

Add the butter, blueberries, preserves, coriander, and salt to a food processor. Blend until smooth. (Store in the fridge, wrapped in paper or plastic, or in a butter keeper, for up to 5 days; or freeze for up to 3 months.)

　　

Step 2

Tip: A stick of butter coming out of the fridge can take a surprisingly long time to come to room temperature. To speed it up, cut the butter into ½-inch pieces and leave on the counter; it should be at room temp in 10 to 12 minutes.

　　

Pancakes:

Step 3

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

　　

Step 4

In a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and oil until smooth.

　　

Step 5

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to fold together until just combined. Do not overmix. Allow the batter to rest for about 5 minutes.

　　

Step 6

Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and grease lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using 2 heaping tablespoons of batter for each pancake. With the back of the spoon, gently spread the batter into a 3- to 4-inch circle. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until golden brown and the center of the pancake feels slightly firm to the touch, another 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.

　　

Step 7

Serve the pancakes hot with the blueberry butter and maple syrup.

　　

Step 8

Note: *Judy Kuhn is a brilliant Broadway actor who also just happens to be the singing voice of Pocahontas. It should also be noted that Vanessa Williams did a great job with the pop version of the song, which played over the closing credits.

　　From Food Between Friends by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Julie Tanous © 2021 by Julie & Jesse Cook, LLC. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.Buy the full book from Amazon, or Bookshop.