Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes like Cheesecake Factory

Course: Side Dish

Ingredients

Salsa Verde

  • 2 tomatillos chopped (remove papery thin)
  • 1 4 oz can mild green chilies
  • 1 green onion
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
  • 1 ¼ tsp sugar
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • tsp ground black pepper

Southwestern Sauce

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 tbsp water
  • ¾ tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • tsp cayenne pepper
  • tsp onion powder
  • dash salt
  • dash garlic powder

Tomato Salsa

  • 1 medium tomato
  • 1 tbsp onion minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro minced
  • ¼ tsp lime juice
  • ½ small fresh jalapeno minced
  • dash salt
  • dash ground black pepper

Garnish

  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • ½ avocado chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro coarsely chopped

Cakes

  • 1 ½ cups frozen sweet corn
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter softened
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • tsp salt
  • ½ cup corn masa (corn flour)
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Instructions

  • Prepare salsa verde by combining all ingredients in food processor on high. Cover and chill.
  • Prepare tomato salsa by combining all ingredients in small bowl. Cover and chill.
  • Prepare southwestern sauce by combing all ingredients in small bowl. Cover and chill.
  • Preheat oven to 400.
  • Prepare tamale cakes by chopping 1 cup of frozen corn in food processor until it's coarsely pureed. Combine pureed corn with softened butter, sugar, and salt. Blend well with mixer until smooth. Add mesa and flour and blend well. Mix in remaining 1/2 cup of frozen corn by hand.
  • Measure 1/2 cup portions of the mixture and form into 3" wide patties. Arrange patties on baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cakes are browned on the bottom. Carefully flip all cakes with spatula and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes or until other side is browned.
  • While cakes are baking, spoon a portion of the salsa verde onto a plate or platter (you may want to heat up your plate in the oven for a bit to help warm the sauce). You'll need to use enough salsa verde to coat the entire plate - it should be about 1/4 inch deep. Arrange the tamale cakes side by side on the salsa verde. Spoon a dollop of sour cream onto each tamale cake. Drizzle the southwestern sauce over the cakes in a cross cross pattern. Spoon some tomato salsa over the cakes, followed by the chopped avocado. Finish off the plate by sprinkling the coarsely chopped cilantro leaves over the top.