I have some pretty exciting news to share with everyone.  I recently started to contribute as a food writer and photographer at a great site here in Dallas called Crave DFW.  At Crave DFW “we Crave music, we Crave art, we Crave a great meal.” Lucky me has been given the assignment of featuring brunch recipes from the top chefs here in the city of Dallas and sharing a little about their restaurant and themselves.  I am so so excited to begin this series this summer but I figured before I disappear into the greatness of Europe I thought I’d share a lovely recipe from one of the best restaurants in Dallas: Parigi to get our taste buds started.

Living in Dallas, one of the best things about the city is scouring out the gems of culinary greatness.  At Parigi, they’ve been serving fresh, playful dishes for over 25 years and strive to work with local farmers to obtain the highest quality ingredients.  Tucked away by Oaklawn and Lemmon beneath some shady oak trees, Parigi encompasses a cozy neighborhood bistro with stylish European influences – fresh cut flowers, bright natural light, and an intimate and charming setting that will transport you back to the lovely streets of Paris.

Today Chef Rolando Garcia, one of the executive chefs at Parigi will be sharing one of his favorite brunch recipes: Blueberry Polenta Pancakes.  Though seemingly simplistic, the rich flavors of the pancakes paired with the sweet and tart blueberries gives this dish a homely but elegant twist.  The best part is it’s easy enough to make at the comfort of your own home, and for those who aren’t master chefs in the kitchen head on over to Parigi and have Rolando make you his best.  Parigi serves their Brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 am to 3:00 pm.

Recipe for Blueberry Polenta Pancakes:

• ½ cup cornmeal
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar, optional
• 1½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1¼ cups milk, more as needed
• Butter or olive oil as needed
• ½ cup syrup
• ¼ cup fresh blueberries, plus more for garnish

Preheat oven to 350.

In a bowl, mix cornmeal sugar, flour, baking powder and a little salt. Add eggs into mixture and then stir in milk, adding more milk if the batter is too thick.  Add in the blueberries and set aside.

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat.  Add 1 Tablespoon butter or oil to griddle.  When hot, add batter by large spoon.  Cook until lightly browned on bottom 2-3 minutes and then finish cooking in the oven for an additional 3-5 minutes until browned on the other side.

Transfer hot pancakes to a plate and keep the hot pan.  Pour the syrup into the hot pan along with a few more blueberries and allow the syrup and berries to heat up.  Pour on top of pancakes and garnish with powdered sugar and fresh mint with additional syrup if preferred.  Serve immediately and enjoy often!