Sweet Corn Fritters
Fry baby, fry! Fritters are fancied by all of us. They’re simple, they’re homely, they’re comfortable, and they sit well at any meal, at any time of day or night, on their own, or in the most exclusive company.
One of the favourite dishes from my old restaurant days was prawns sitting on a bed of sweet corn fritters, the lot supported by a lemon and melted butter sauce, with lots of black pepper. Sweet corn kernels were dotted all about the sauce. There was basil, and there were chives. It was simplicity itself, and every plate came back wiped clean. The same thing works at home. Just make sure you make more fritters than one per person. It’s heartbreaking to chomp yours down and discover there are no seconds.
1½ cups sweet corn, removed from the cob – Use canned equivalent if the urge hits you in the middle of the night – that’s why we have canned corn in the cupboard.
1 cup self-raising flour, sifted
½ cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon curry powder
1 chilli, chopped
handful of tarragon leaves, finely chopped – Out of season, try chives or parsley.
1
Mix all the ingredients with a fork until a thick batter is formed.
2
Heat a little oil in a pan, preferably non-stick. Drop the batter into the pan by the dessertspoon, keeping each fritter well separated if you’re cooking several at once. Cook until golden on both sides. Tear one apart to be sure it has been well cooked in the middle.
3
Serve on their own, with a phalanx of dips, or as something on which to sit your prawns, scallops, mussels, chicken breasts, lamb cutlets, or whatever you like.
WINE: For a bit of fun, try a bottle of botrytis-affected sweet wine with the fritters. There are some lovely Australian rieslings in this style. Serve well chilled.