Copycat Neptune's Johnnycake

Even if you haven’t had the original dish at Neptune Oyster House of Boston, this copycat should whet your appetite enough to make the trip just to eat there. Sweet savory cornmeal batter is fried into thick pancakes and topped with smoked fish mixed with creme fraiche, honey butter, chives, more creme fraiche, and even caviar (fi you have it!). With the extra smoked fish, double the creme fraiche and have yourself a simple fish dip/spread.

Johnnycake Copycat Recipe

from Neptune Oyster House of Boston

Johnnycake Ingredients

1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup semolina (or more cornmeal)
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 egg
2 tbsp oil
2 cups buttermilk
2 tbsp butter, or more (or bacon fat) for cooking

Fish Dip Ingredients

one fillet smoked trout or bluefish
1.5 tbsp creme fraiche

Toppings

4-6 chives, minced
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp butter
caviar (optional)
additional creme fraiche

Recipe summary: For the johnnycakes, mix together the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and gently fold together. Let sit for half an hour before cooking in more butter or bacon fat over medium high heat. Pour 1/3 cup of batter at a time and let sit for 3 minutes on one side and 2 minutes on the other side. Add more butter/fat between cakes if needed. For the fish dip, debone the smoked fish and mix with creme fraiche. Melt together the butter and honey into a thin consistency. When johnnycakes are ready, top with 2 tbsp of fish dip and a health drizzle of honey butter. Sprinkle with chives and top with more creme fraiche and caviar (if using).

Recipe sources: https://akeyingredient.wordpress.com/2013/10/20/smoked-trout-johnny-cakes/ https://www.emirates.com/ng/english/open-skies/2323547/taste-of-boston-johnnycakes-at-neptune-oyster

Learn from my mistake: sift your batter’s dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and gently fold together. I overbeat my batter which made it thick and compact, rather than light and fluffy.