Taste of Boston - Johnnycakes at Neptune Oyster
1 January 2015
Boston's Neptune Oyster, opened in 2006 by Jeff and Kelli Nace, specialises in seafood dishes, including this American classic, originally created by the Algonquin Indians
Ingredients
For the Johnnycakes:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup semolina
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups buttermilk
Toppings:
A drizzle of honey butter
Bluefish tartare (if you can’t find smoked bluefish, you can use smoked trout, but bluefish is more local)
Crème fraiche
Sturgeon caviar
Sea salt
Chives
Steps
Combine the cornmeal, semolina, flour and sugar In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and oil together, then add the buttermilk
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a thick batter forms
Pour into a buttered nonstick sauté pan and cool until golden brown
Garnish with a drizzle of honey-butter, smoked bluefish, creme fraiche, sturgeon caviar, sea salt and chives
History
The original settlers of New England learned how to make Johnnycakes from the local Algonquin Indians. Originally called journey cakes by the settlers, because they could be carried on long voyages in saddlebags and cooked along the way, historians believe the colonist slurred the words, pronouncing it Johnnycake. Johnnycakes were served at the first thanksgiving feast, which lasted three days. One of the Indians, Tisquantum, nicknamed Squanto, helped to educate the pilgrims on growing, grinding and cooking corn. Squanto later helped the English to map out much of New England.