Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

This is my absolute favorite time of year for eating. The pure abundance of gorgeous fruits and veggies at the farmer's market right now makes up for the three months of gnarled root vegetables and mealy apples (let me amend that to say "almost makes up," lest I poke someone in the eye with a rutabaga for reminding me I said that in the midst of next January's market doldrums).

I hate to play favorites when the pickings are so bountiful, but I must confess my undying love for blueberries (cover your ears nectarines, I would never deny my fondness for you). When my daughter and I aren't eating blueberries plain by the pint, I'm adding them to something else--salads, smoothies, peanut butter toast, muffins, ice cream. You name it, I've probably put a blueberry in it. So when my husband confessed a craving for blueberry pancakes last weekend, I happily dug the griddle out from its hiding place and set to work.

This recipe is loosely based on this whole grain pancake recipe by the ridiculously talented Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks. As far as I'm concerned, everything that comes out of her kitchen tastes like rainbows, but, you know, the healthy kind. That being the case, it would probably be wise for you to follow her recipe. However, if white whole wheat flour isn't your favorite and you find yourself lacking buttermilk when your blueberry pancake craving hits, you could always give this recipe a try.

Whole-Grain Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup natural granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons lowfat milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
zest of one lemon
1 pint blueberries, rinsed

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and create a well in the center. Add the milk, lemon juice, eggs, butter, and lemon zest to the well and gently whisk together. Stir all the ingredients until just combined (it's better to have a few lumps than to risk tough pancakes from overmixing).

Heat your cast iron pan, skillet, or griddle to medium and brush with a little butter. Pour batter onto your griddle by tablespoons for silver dollar sized pancakes or 1/3 cups if you prefer larger pancakes. Add the desired amount of blueberries to each pancake (adding them at this point, rather than stirring them into the batter, ensures an even distribution of blueberries and prevents blueberry lovers from analyzing each pancake before picking those with the highest blueberry to pancake ratio). Flip the pancakes when bubbles form and the bottom is golden brown. Remove when cooked through and repeat with the remaining batter.

If you're dining with a civilized bunch who choose to wait to eat until the cook is out of the kitchen, you can keep your pancakes warming in the oven. I've had the greatest success at preventing sogginess by placing cooked pancakes on a cookie sheet in a single layer with the oven at 150 degrees.

Serve with butter, maple syrup, lemon zest, and a mountain of additional blueberries.