This was easy and delicious. I have been experimenting with masa harina to figure out ways to cook with it since I got a huge bag from Harvest Share. I’m not fond of cornbread so I wanted to go in a different direction. I made the salad first and made more than I needed for the masa cakes.
For the salad, this makes enough for 8 masa cakes, but is also good on grilled cheese and with sandwiches. So I don’t mind.
- 1/2 bunch of kale, cleaned, stripped off the stem, and finely chopped. This is about 3 cups of kale.
- 1/2 TBSP olive oil
- Juice from 1 fresh lemon
- 1 tsp kosher salt.
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced.
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, cut into small pieces, and parboiled in salted water.
Mix these first four ingredients together and rub the oil, salt, and lemon into the kale to soften it. Add the sliced onions. Drain the sweet potatoes and add to the kale. Let rest for an hour or more in the fridge.
For the Masa Cakes, this makes four masa cakes.
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1½ tablespoons butter, sliced
- 1 cup masa harina corn flour
- Dash of Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/3 cup grated cheese (I used pepper jack)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Mix together the masa, salt, sugar, use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter, add milk and stir together until smooth, add the cheese and mix it in. Divide into 4 balls.
Using a piece of wax paper, but one ball of dough between two layers of wax paper. Press flat to about 1/4 inc. I used a small bowl and pressed down to make the edges smooth, tossing remaining dough back in the bowl to use. This will make 4 masa cakes.
Heat a griddle on medium and put about 1/2 tbsp of olive oil on it. When it’s heated, put two on the griddle to cook, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
When you’re ready to serve, fry an egg over-easy. You could poach them instead.
Assemble by putting a torta cake on your plate. Then put a handful of kale salad on top of the cake. Add the over-easy egg so when you eat it, the egg dresses the salad.
Makes four servings.
Single Servings 