Monday 12 April 2010

Sweetcorn Cakes

Sweetcorn in all its formats pleases me. Creamed in a can, it forms the basis of a good chicken and sweetcorn soup, Chinese style. Ears of corn wrapped in their husks and grilled on the barbeque to be later slathered with salt, chilli, butter and lime juice is one of the joys of summer. You should never leave a barbeque unless you have bits of yellow stuck in your teeth.

I've made sweetcorn fritters a couple of time but each recipe I've followed has been too heavy on the batter and too light on the kernels, resulting in a bland, claggy heap of a meal. This recipe though, flavoured with coriander and lime is light, flavoursome and packed with juicy popping nuggets of corn. I had it with an avocado salsa which worked well enough, though I think a tomato salsa would be more suited. But that will have to wait until summer.

Leftovers, topped with a freshly poached egg, made a perfect light breakfast.

Sweetcorn Cakes

Serves 2

50gr self raising flour
210gr sweetcorn (I used frozen)
1 egg
4 spring onions
1 lime
2 tbsp coriander
1 birds eye chilli
1/2 tsp salt
Plenty of black pepper
2 tbsp cooking oil

In a large bowl, whisk the egg and add the sweetcorn. Mix the flour in well. Chop the chilli, spring onions and coriander finely and add to the mix. Lastly, add the salt and pepper and squeeze the juice of the lime in.

Heat some oil in a pan and add the mixture in patties, a couple of tablespoons at a time, smoothing to make them round. Fry on a medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes per side until they're lightly browned.

17 comments:

The Grubworm said...

Oh wow - if that first picture is anything to go by, they are properly scrumptious. Will be trying them out next time I have some corn to hand. I reckon they'd go great with some sweet chilli too.

Joshua said...

Looks like you got the batter to corn ratio just right. Can't beat a bit of coriander for breakfast too.

Unknown said...

I love corn fritters - my favourite thing to order at Bills in Sydney or Lantana here in London. Your version looks great.

Unknown said...

Ha Gourmet Chick beat me to it but I was also going to say that the best corn fritters in the world are at Bills in Sydney, though these do look like they'd give Mr Grainger a run for his money! Yum and indeed, yum.

ginandcrumpets said...

Food with an egg on top is the best kind of food there is. That is undeniable fact.

S said...

a sister after my own heart- i adore sweetcorn (and i know you adore aubergine, like me, too). and with the egg oozing out that yolk- absolutely divine. love the addition of chilli. x shayma

BribedwithFood said...

All the corn fritter recipes I have tried so far were disappointing as it was the case for you.
I shall go ahead and try yours too confident they will be the best of the lot :)

catty said...

Mmmmmm i do love a good sweet corn fritter, so far my favourite has been Lantana's but I may try your recipe yet! I also love sweet corn, even sweet corn ice cream :)

Helen said...

Nowt worse than a claggy fritter Mabs, nowt worse. Yours look yummy.

Helen said...

That looks truely wonderful! A perfect weekend breakfast. I love everything in it, sweetcorn, coriander and some chilli and a runny poached egg!

Hollow Legs said...

Grubworm - Definitely. I have to confess to rather enjoying them with ketchup too...

Joshua - At first I thought I'd over-corned, but it worked out well. I love a herby breakfast.

GC - I rather like Lantana's version too, a nice healthy (i.e. massive) portion.

Hugh Wright - quite a few people have said so - they must be very good indeed!

Gin & Crumpets - You're definitely right. Bubble & squeak, kedgeree, sweetcorn cakes...

Shayma - many things are improved with chilli, I think!

Bribedwithfood - do let me know what you think.

Catty - sweetcorn ice cream!? Mental.

Helen - NOWT WORSE! :) Thanks.

Helen - Definitely, there's a lot of my favourite ingredients in there.

Anonymous said...

*Gregg Wallace face*

Sarah, Maison Cupcake said...

Oh my, sweetcorn fritter with poached egg! Sounds brilliant!

foodrambler said...

Sweetcorn fritters! My mum used to cook them in Cornwall when we went on holiday. I didn't realise 'til recently that they could be cooked anywhere...

Have been experimenting with very plain recipes, but yours sounds gorgeous. Thanks for the recipe - can't wait to try them out!

katharine said...

I'm not really posting a comment here, rather sending an email FYO. Anyway, it's the first time I've posted a comment to anyone, food-related or otherwise. But of all the food blogs I've started reading over the past three months, I particularly enjoy yours. Something about your attitude, and the sense I get of a whole other London, linked by curious taste buds and epicurean shared delight. A certain generousity, not hoarding a wonderful discovery as a jealously kept secret. Your blog and your attitude, simply put, make me happier.

So I want to pass on to you a local discovery in Clerkenwell - Chaiwallah - on the corner of Goswell Road and Percival Street (Barbican or Angel tube). Open till 10.30pm, the owner makes traditional chai, but is also a consumate barista and his variously spiced coffees are wonderful. Not liking the amount of milk that makes a latte, I usually have a masala macchiato, with very little sugar. It is total luxury. The owner's mother makes the Indian snacks and lght meals (as yet unsampled). Should you go there and not like your order, I will personally refund you. I have no commercial interest in the place, but would be happy to invite you for a coffee.

Keep eating and writing.

Katharine (kjhora@yahoo.co.uk)

Apex Maize said...

I love this recipe. It is one of my favorite dinners in summer, or lunch on the weekend, or to take to the park for a picnic. I also do it with tinned corn to make it easy on myself.
http://www.apexmatch.com/maize.php

Incendiary Blonde said...

These look soooooooooooooo good...and sound very easy to make too! Will definitely be busting these out at some point this week!