Corn Cakes with Goat Cheese and Bacon

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups fresh corn
• 1 zucchini, diced
• Salt and black pepper
• 8 slices bacon
• 2 scallions, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil to a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once it looks glossy and hot, stir in the corn and zucchini, then season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring now and then, until the zucchini has softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and cool it for 5 minutes.
2. While the vegetables cool, cook the bacon in another skillet until it is crisp. When it is ready, set it aside.
3. Stir the scallions, eggs, and cornmeal into the bowl with the corn and zucchini until everything is evenly combined. Clean out the nonstick skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and set it back over medium heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, spoon about 1/2 cup of the corn mixture into the skillet. Add only as many portions as fit without crowding. Cook until the undersides are browned, about 3 minutes, then turn them over and cook until the second sides are browned, about 2 minutes. Move the cakes to paper towels to drain. Continue the same way until all of the corn mixture is cooked.
4. Serve the corn cakes with the crumbled goat cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and the bacon.