BUTTERMILK PANCAKES WITH MAPLE SYRUP APPLES

In keeping with the Moroccan theme, I was going to add a recipe for a delicious cold Moroccan soup. But as it’s a cold wintry day in Provence, these pancakes seem more appropriate. I just made them for Sunday brunch. Yummy. They are light and moist, a cross between a pancake and a crepe. Do not overmix the batter to insure that the pancakes will be airy. Recipe serves four.

Maple Syrup Apples

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 large Golden Delicious apples (about 1 1/2 pounds) peeled,cored, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pancakes

1 cup all purpose flour

2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup plain whole milk yogurt

1 large egg

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Additional butter and maple syrup

For Maple Syrup Apples

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add apples and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Saute until apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in remaining 1/2 cup maple syrup and cinnamon.

For Pancakes

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, whisk to blend. Whisk buttermilk, yogurt and egg in medium bowl to blend; add to dry ingredients and stir until just blended but still lumpy. Gently mix in 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter.

Heat griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spread thin coating of butter over griddle and let melt. Working in batches, drop batter by 1/3 cupfulls onto griddle, spacing apart. Cook pancakes until brown on bottom and bubbles form on top, about 3 minutes. Turn pancakes over and cook until bottoms are brown and pancakes are barely firm to touch. Transfer to plates. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more butter to griddle as needed.

Spoon apples over pancakes. Serve passing additional maple syrup.