MOFO Day #22 True Grub: Lettie Mae's Hoe Cakes

It's Saturday morning and Lettie Mae feels guilty about shaming me for being Jewish, so she made me up a nice batch of hoe cakes. Vegan, even! Just like Tara says, it's all about the bacon grease. No problem, that can be made vegan too.
I scored some of this at the food pantry. There's an oil for everything. This stuff is super boss and I've used it for a cookie recipe and for the bacon grease for the hoe cakes. Satan himself approves.
As you can see, the trick is just cooking some no-bacon bitz-(tvp with seasonings or store bought) in the oil with a little liquid smoke an sesame oil.
You want the oil to cook for a bit, to bring out the bacon flavor--watch it foam. Cool the oil and drain with a fine mesh sieve.

Look, it's hoe cakes! Pay no attention to The Devil. Lettie Mae will get him on out of your house with a little sage and some singin'.

These soak up the syrup, so make sure you have plenty on hand.


Lettie Mae's Hoe Cakes

Bacon Grease

• 2 t. sesame oil
• 1/8 c. macadamia nut oil or some other rich oil suitable for frying-(NOT OLIVE!)
• couple drops of liquid smoke
• 2T bacon bitz-(look at the ingredients to make sure it is vegan)

Heat oil in skillet, and add bitz. Cook on medium for several minutes, stirring. You want to see the oil foam. Turn heat off and cool oil, setting aside to apply to the griddle.


Hoe Cake Batter

• 1 c. corn meal
• 1 c. sorghum flour
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1.5 t of baking soda
• 2 flax seed eggs-(2 T ground flax seeds mixed with 6T hot water and set aside)
• 1 c. Amande cultured almond milk, or plain coconut or soy yogurt
• 1 c. soy, almond, rice, --you get the idea. Non dairy milk.

Get your old Staples Singers records out to set the mood. Heat your griddle or cast iron skillet and apply the bacon grease. Mix wet ingredients together with wire wisk. Add wet to dry ingredients and scoop out the thick batter in 1/3 cup increments on your griddle/skillet. Cook on med heat for 3-4 minutes on one side, then another 4-5 on the other. They'll be nice and golden brown. Serve with your favorite syrup. Mr. J. said these reminded him of sweet tamales with subtle tones of bacony goodness. I thought they tasted like fried mush.