Instructions: Process the kernels with a little of the milk.

Aim to get a slightly knobbly mush rather than a perfectly smooth cream.

Scrape out and mix with the remaining milk the flour half the butter and: the cornmeal or polenta.

Beat to mix evenly then beat in the eggs and yolk 2 tbsp of chives salt and pepper Spoon a little of the remaining butter into a heavy frying and heat over moderate heat. Spoon about 2 tbsp of the batter into the pan at a time to make small corncakes pressing them down with a spatula and frying them until nicely golden on each side.

Keep warm.

Serve four per person topped with creme fra"che and as much caviar as you can muster and a scattering of chives

These golden corncakes are every bit as good as if not rather better than the more traditional Russian blinis with soured cream and caviar with the bonus that they are less trouble to make and they look very pretty too.

Serves 6 as a first course

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