As summer shifts to autumn around us, my current menu is coming to a close. Cooking food from MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN by Jean Craighead George has drawn me out of my comfort zone in the best way possible. I seared fish wrapped in leaves on an open fire, made salad with dandelion greens, and simmered stew made from venison my dad hunted himself. I really got to capture the outdoors with this menu, and I truly enjoyed it. I’m sad to see it end, but I’m also excited to dive into my autumn menu. Let’s finish off the summer with one last delicious recipe, shall we? 😀
In MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, one of the most common foods Sam makes is acorn pancakes topped with his friend Bando’s blueberry jam. “But wait,” I hear you say, “this post is a recipe for ALMOND pancakes!” And you’re right. Since I work on these menus a couple months ahead, acorns weren’t ripe yet when it came time to make this (and since I don’t have an oak tree, I’m not sure I could have scrounged enough acorns to make enough flour anyway). Almonds were an easily sourceable substitute, and I knew they’d pair beautifully with blueberry jam. And I was right! 😀
They turned out delicious, though I’ll admit the almond flavor isn’t super strong. The almond flour itself doesn’t carry a lot of flavor in this preparation, instead contributing more to the texture of the pancake, making it more moist and just a touch chewier. I added some optional almond extract to the ingredients if you want more almond flavor. You can also increase the amount of almond flour to 1/2 cup (and reduce the all-purpose flour to 1 1/2 cups). However, that will make the batter more finicky. It’s thinner and spreads a lot, so you’ll want to pour less batter per pancake (approx. 3 Tbsp). I also had to increase the burner temperature to just below medium. I found all that to be bit too tedious, but it’s an option if you want to try it.
The blueberry jam was a really fun pairing and a perfect way to take advantage of summer fruit. I’m not big into syrup on my pancakes, so I appreciated the change of pace. Add some fresh whipped cream and sliced almonds on top, and you’ve got yourself the perfect recipe to finish off a menu for MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. See you all again in September!
A
Almond Pancakes with Blueberry Jam
“. . . stirred up some acorn pancakes. I cooked them on top of a tin can, and as I ate them, smothered with blueberry jam, I knew the land was just the place for a Gribley.”
— My Side of the Mountain
INGREDIENTS:
- For the Jam
- 4 cups frozen blueberries
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- a pinch of salt
- For the Pancakes
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 Tbsp rendered animal fat or canola oil
- 1/4 tsp almond extract, optional
- 3 cups fresh whipped cream and 1 cup sliced almonds, for garnish
Makes 16 pancakes and 1 1/2 cups jam
INSTRUCTIONS:
- FOR THE JAM. To make the jam, place all the ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring regularly. Reduce heat to medium-low. Mash blueberries thoroughly with the bottom of a heavy glass. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring regularly. Transfer to a sealable container. Allow to cool, uncovered, on the counter until the jam reaches room temperature. Cover and chill until ready to use.
- FOR THE PANCAKES. In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and almond extract. Whisk egg mix into dry mix until just combined (make sure to get all the dry ingredients scraped up from the bottom).
- On a lightly greased griddle or cast iron pan on medium-low heat, cook 1/4 cup batter for 1 minute on each side.
- Top with blueberry jam, fresh whipped cream, and sliced almonds. Serve to a friend when they visit your wilderness homestead.
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