• Healthy
• Make-Ahead
• Vegetarian

Ingredients

1. 3 large ears of corn
2. 1 cup all-purpose flour
3. 1 teaspoon salt
4. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
5. 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
6. Cayenne pepper
7. 1 large egg, beaten
8. 1/2 cup buttermilk
9. 1/2 cup whole milk
10. Vegetable oil
11. 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1. Light a grill. Shuck the corn, leaving on the last thin layer of green husk. Grill the ears over a hot fire, turning them frequently, until charred all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer the ears to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let steam for about 20 minutes. Unwrap the corn and cut the kernels off the cobs; you should have about 2 cups of kernels.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, Old Bay and a pinch of cayenne. In a small bowl, beat the egg with the buttermilk and whole milk and pour the mixture over the flour. Add the corn kernels. Using a rubber spatula, stir lightly just until the ingredients are blended.
3. Lightly oil a large cast-iron skillet and set it over moderately high heat. When the skillet is hot, add four 1/4-cup-size dollops of batter, spacing them evenly. Add 1/2 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and tilt to let the butter run under the cakes. Cook the corn cakes until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until lightly browned on the second side, about 1 minute longer. Transfer the corn cakes to a rimmed baking sheet; repeat with the remaining batter and butter. Reheat the corn cakes in the oven for about 3 minutes and serve hot.

Make Ahead

The corn can be grilled up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. The corn cakes can be made early in the day and reheated before serving.