Smoked Corn Cakes With Diablo Sauce

To make sauce, heat oil in a heavy bottomed skillet until lightly smoking. Saute shallots and garlic until light brown. Add chilies, cumin, ginger, and red peppers. Stir about 30 seconds. Add mango and chicken stock. Simmer about 20 minutes. Puree and season with salt and lime juice. Sauce may be used hot or cold.

For pancakes, shuck corn, remove silk, and cut kernels from cob. Place in smoker for 8 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine smoked corn, garlic, serrano chili, and bell peppers. In another bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine egg, milk, and bacon grease. Add vegetables to dry ingredients, then stir in egg mixture. Adjust seasoning with lemon juice. Fold to mix and let rest for 20 minutes. Adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add just enough oil to coat bottom of skillet. When skillet is hot, pour corn batter, about 1/8 cup per corn cake. Cook on 1 side for about 1 1/2 minutes or until brown. Turn and cook until middles of cakes no longer appear wet. Remove cakes to warm platter and repeat to make 8 cakes.

Place 2 cakes, edges overlapping on the center of each 4 warm plates. Spoon 2 tablespoons of Diablo Sauce around cakes and serve immediately.

This recipe yields 4 servings.