There is nothing like an oozing blueberry pancake. The fatty ones that are jam-packed with blueberries. This was truly a summer delight, no frozen blueberries please, only fresh will do. This dish was inspired by my homecoming. Since, I moved back home yesterday, I have to make the most of the situ, and not let fresh blueberries go to waste. It was a welcoming dish, even if I did make it for myself, and my family was delighted. Only thing is, I can’t stand the floral decorated plates we have, that seem to take away the essence of the dish, and reduce it to a little too bourgeoise for me. So I searched the place for a simple white or black dish. The best I could find was a white dish that my little brother painted in 1994 of the whole family. So, the pancakes couldn’t call out “home” any louder, served on this hand-drawn dish. Hope you enjoy the homey touch just as much as I did.
I had to add bananas because they just sweeten them up like nobody’s business. And, I think because Jack Johnson’s song, “Banana Pancakes” has really gotten in my head. So, just for fun, here is a link to the inspiration, himself.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries plus more or good measure
- 1-2 thin sliced banana*
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest*
* I added these ingredients. They are optional but I would recommend it
1. Melt your butter.
2. In a large bowl, sift flour. Add salt, baking powder and sugar. In a small bowl, beat together egg and milk. Stir milk and egg into the flour mixture. Mix in the butter and fold in the blueberries. Here I add the lemon zest, and a little cinnamon and/or nutmeg if desired (teaspoons). Set aside for 1 hour. I couldn’t wait this long for breakfast so I made them right away and they were still great. If you wait, the pancakes will be more flat like a flapjack and rise less.
3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Scoop a small amount of batter onto the griddle. I like to use a soup ladle, if you don’t have any easy pour sprout on the bowl. If you would like to add bananas, I like to lay them right on top of the batter, so that when I flip them, the bananas can caramelize.
Brown on both sides and serve hot. Turn them when bubbles form throughout the pancake. The second side cooks faster than the first, so be sure to turn down the heat.
4. When finished, place them on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. If you have to wait awhile until eating, place the plate in the oven (turned off) to keep the heat in. Serve warm with maple syrup. Revel in your American-ness, if you are.
