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Mexican Corn Cakes With Charred Corn, Carne Asada, Refried Beans and Guasacaca (Avocado) Sauce

Julie Beckwith | April 13, 2020

Next time you have a dinner party, delight your guests with these individual-sized mexican corn cakes with vegetables and carne asada, drizzled with a delightful avocado sauce. When everybody tells you how good it is, you can thank Julie Beckwith, who competed in the 2019 Lodge National Cornbread Cook-off with this recipe.

Level
Advanced
Prep Time
45 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Serves
8
Cook it With Our
Charred Corn, Carne Asada, Refried Beans and Guasacaca (Avocado) Sauce

Ingredients

Carne Asada
  • 2 teaspoons southwest seasoning blend
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound skirt steak
Avocado Sauce
  • 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped white onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup packed cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Corn Cakes
  • 1 cup frozen sweet corn
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 package (6.5 ounces) Martha White Yellow Cornbread & Muffin Mix
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 package (10 ounces) queso fresco cheese, grated (divided use)
Toppings
  • 1 can (15 ounces) refried pinto beans
  • 1 teaspoon southwest seasoning blend
  • 2-4 tablespoons chicken stock
  • 2 cups shredded lettuce
  • 1 cup prepared pico de gallo
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Combine seasoning blend, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Add lime zest, lime juice and oil; mix well. 

2. Cut skirt steak into 3-inch pieces along the grain, then slice into 1/2-inch strips against the grain. Chop strips into bite-size pieces. Place in a large shallow pan, add seasoning mixture, and toss to coat. Cover and chill.

3. To make the avocado sauce, add the avocado, onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, vinegar, oil, water, salt, and pepper to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. 

4. Preheat a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn to the dry pan, stirring frequently, until kernels are lightly charred. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper. Let cool. 
5. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Heat the 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk together cornbread mix, milk, and egg. Stir in melted butter, charred corn, and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Reserve remaining cheese for later use. For each corn cake, pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the skillet. Cook until golden brown on both sides, flipping once. Place on rack in oven to keep warm. Wipe out skillet.

6. Heat the 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add seasoned steak to pan in a single layer. Cook until browned without stirring, 1-2 minutes, flip over and cook on remaining side until browned. Keep warm.

7. For toppings and assembly, combine refried beans, seasoning, and 2 tablespoons of chicken stock in a medium saucepan; mix well. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until heated throughout, stirring frequently. Add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of chicken stock, if needed, to keep beans from drying out.

8. Place corn cakes on individual serving plates and spread with 2-3 tablespoons refried beans. Add lettuce and equal amounts of carne asada and avocado sauce. Sprinkle with reserved cheese, top with pico de gallo, and garnish with chopped cilantro. Makes 8 corn cakes.

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Skillet and Egg Logo
Contributed By: Julie Beckwith

Julie Beckwith of Crete, Ill., competed in the 2019 Lodge National Cornbread Cook-off with this recipe.

 

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