Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (about 7 ounces) breakfast sausage, casings removed if necessary
• 1 1/2 cups fresh (or frozen, thawed) corn kernels
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 6 scallions, chopped

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in honey and orange zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
2. For corn cakes: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Spoon milk solids from surface and discard. Pour clarified butter into a small glass measuring cup (there should be about 1/4 cup), leaving any browned bits behind; set aside. (Alternatively, use 1/4 cup grapeseed oil.) Cook sausage in a 10" cast-iron skillet or other large heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking up into small pieces with the back of a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a small bowl. Add corn to same skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned, 5-6 minutes. Transfer corn to bowl with sausage and let cool. Wipe skillet clean and reserve. Whisk cornmeal and next 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk and eggs in a large bowl; add dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Fold in sausage, corn, and scallions. Heat 1 tablespoon clarified butter in reserved skillet; working in batches and adding butter as needed between batches, add batter to pan by tablespoonfuls. Cook until cakes are crisp and golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Turn cakes over and cook until browned, 1-2 minutes longer. Transfer cakes to paper towels to drain. Serve warm drizzled with orange-honey butter.
3. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Spoon milk solids from surface and discard. Pour clarified butter into a small glass measuring cup (there should be about 1/4 cup), leaving any browned bits behind; set aside. (Alternatively, use 1/4 cup grapeseed oil.)
4. Cook sausage in a 10" cast-iron skillet or other large heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking up into small pieces with the back of a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a small bowl. Add corn to same skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned, 5-6 minutes. Transfer corn to bowl with sausage and let cool. Wipe skillet clean and reserve.
5. Whisk cornmeal and next 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk and eggs in a large bowl; add dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Fold in sausage, corn, and scallions.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon clarified butter in reserved skillet; working in batches and adding butter as needed between batches, add batter to pan by tablespoonfuls. Cook until cakes are crisp and golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Turn cakes over and cook until browned, 1-2 minutes longer. Transfer cakes to paper towels to drain. Serve warm drizzled with orange-honey butter.