(Le Gâteau de Maïs)
This is an old-fashioned dish, a simple meal that Marie-Rose Sol makes often for herself and her husband, Gabriel. Farmers who have raised everything from foie gras geese to vegetables, they are semi-retired now and living by themselves, though not far from their children. For Marie-Rose that means cooking for two, something that she’s never quite gotten used to. "When I make this, I still make almost as much as I did when the family was here, and we eat it all, with salad!" she says.
This dish, which is like a crisp corn pancake, is wonderful in late winter when the weather's still cold but no longer biting. Marie-Rose makes it when she wants something delicious that takes little effort. "Besides, this is one of Gabriel's favorite things," she says.
It's simple and somewhat unusual, like a dessert but treated as a vegetable. There is very little batter to cover the apples, so the result is light and crisp. Don’t be afraid to bake the cake until it is just this side of burned on the edges and golden in the center, Serve it immediately upon removing it from the oven. You'll see that it goes perfectly with a garlicky salad!
Try a simple Bergerac with this.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 2 to 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Pour the melted butter into a 10-inch (25 cm) tart pan and swirl it around so it evenly covers the bottom.
Step 2
2. Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until it is hot but not boiling. Keep it hot over very low heat.
Step 3
3. In a large bowl, whisk the egg with the sugar. Then whisk in the cornmeal, flour, and salt. Whisking vigorously, slowly add the hot milk, stirring until combined.
Step 4
4. Strew the apple slices over the surface of the tart pan. Whisk the cornmeal mixture again and pour it over the apples, shaking the tart pan if necessary, so that the batter evenly covers the surface. The apples slices will stick well above the batter. Bake in the center of the oven until the cake is deep golden on the edges and a lighter golden in the center, 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 5
5. When the corn cake is cooked, remove it from the oven and serve immediately, with salad alongside.
