Spring and the warm weather it has brought with it has us thinking about ripe and juicy farm-stand fruit. This recipe from The Blooming Platter Cookbook by Betsy DiJulio is made with fresh strawberries and is perfect for a springtime brunch with friends and family. A few of the ingredients may seem non-traditional, but you’ll have to trust us when we say these pancakes are spectacularly delicious. Serve them with fresh mint and Balsamic-Maple syrup to compliment the sweet strawberry flavor.

Ingredients:
Pancakes:

  • 1 1/2 cups soy milk
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup self-rising flour
  • 4 tablespoons self-rising cornmeal
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    1 cup finely diced fresh strawberries
  • 4 fresh mint leaves, stacked, tightly rolled, and sliced thinly
    2 tablespoons vegan butter or vegetable oil 

Balsamic-Maple Syrup:

  • 1/2 cup finely diced fresh strawberries
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 4 fresh mint leaves, stacked, tightly rolled and thinly sliced
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional Garnishes: sprigs of fresh mint and whole fresh strawberries

Preparation:

  1. Pancakes: Preheat the oven to 250ºF. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy milk and balsamic vinegar. Set aside to curdle. In a medium mixing bowl, combine both flours, the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix well, make a well in the center, and pour in the soy milk mixture. Whisk together until well combined. Stir in diced strawberries and set aside.
  2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the vegan butter in a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Using a 1/4 cup measure, ladle the pancake batter onto the hot skillet, making pancakes, two at a time.
  3. Cook 2 minutes on the first side until you get a nice rise, a few bubbles appear, and the edges appear set. Gently flip and cook another 2 minutes on the reverse. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegan butter, if needed. If pancakes are cooking too quickly, reduce the heat to medium.
  4. When cooked through, transfer the pancakes to plates or a serving platter, keep warm in the oven and repeat with remaining butter and pancake batter.
  5. Balsamic-Maple Syrup: In a saucepan, combine the strawberries, maple syrup, vinegar, mint leaves, and a few grindings of black pepper. Stir to combine and heat gently over medium heat until hot. Do not boil. Serve the pancakes hot, topped with the syrup, and garnished with mint leaves and a strawberry, if using.

Serves 4

From The Blooming Platter Cookbook by Betsy DiJulio. ©2011 Betsy DiJulio. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press.


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