Pastel de Elote (Corn Bread)

By Brenda Storch, La Vitamina T

I recently had the privilege of meeting chef Atzimba Perez, a proud ambassador of Mexican food in Chicago. For this extraordinary native of Michoacan, (whose name means “Water Princess ” in Purépecha ), food has been a constant in her life.

Part destiny, part road traveled, Atzimba says her mom prepared feasts to celebrate the patronage festivals, while she helped and watched how the typical dishes of her people came to life. Atzimba tells us : ” I was very curious to discover new flavors and try different ways of doing things. Since childhood I collected recipes and cookbooks.”  Later, Atzimba opened a diner to pay her way through culinary school: ” Food was my physical sustenance and my financial support . At school I sold cheese to pay for my weekly practicum.”

Her food is as beautiful as her name, and from dish to dish, Atzimba has secured her place as a representative of Mexican cuisine in Chicago, where she recently established her own catering company.

Today, I’m excited to share chef Atzimba Pérez’s recipe for corn cake .

Ingredients

• 3 cups sweet corn
• 5 eggs
• 1 can of condensed milk
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1/4 cup corn oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/ 2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

• Sift flour and baking powder
• Melt the butter andblend it with the other ingredients
• Mix the flour and baking powder
• Grease and flour 1 medium rectangular baking dish or 2 small molds
• Pour the mixture and set it to bake at 320 ° for 45 minutes, until you get a honey color

Enjoy it with a glass of cold milk.

Reproduced with permission of chef Atzimba Perez. Visit her Facebook page by clicking HERE.

This article was originally published in La Vitamina T.