Corn Fritters

I love corn fritters. So on the rare occasion that I see them on a menu, I order them. But I'm usually disappointed. They just seem dry, like maybe they're mostly corn meal. And I'm guessing the corn isn't fresh, so they're just okay, not very exciting. But these corn fritters were everything I want in a fritter. I'm sure using fresh, sweet, farmer's market corn was a big part of that. But I do think it was also the perfect proportions of everything else in the recipe. Plus the mixture of whole and grated kernels helped achieve the perfect texture. So I've found my corn fritter recipe and unless you can convince me that your corn fritter recipe is somehow better, I'm sticking with this.

CORN FRITTERS

Yield: 12 fritters

1 1/2 lbs. fresh corn, husks and silks removed (3 to 4 medium-large ears)

1 egg, beaten lightly

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cornmeal

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 small shallot, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pinch cayenne pepper

vegetable oil as needed

1.      Cut enough whole kernels from the ears of corn to yield 1 cup. Place in a large bowl.

2.      Grate kernels from remaining ears on large holes of box grater (yielding 1/2 cup + of grated kernels). Place in the bowl with whole corn kernels.

3.      Using the back of a knife, scrape any pulp remaining on all cobs into the bowl.

4.      Stir in beaten egg, flour, cornmeal, cream, shallot, salt and cayenne. Batter can be prepared ahead; cover & refrigerate up to 4 hours.

5.      Heat about 1/4-inch oil in large heavy bottomed non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Drop 6 heaping tablespoons batter in pan for each fritter. Fry until golden brown or about 1 minute per side.

6.      Transfer fritters to plate lined with paper towels. Serve immediately.

from America's Test Kitchen

corn-on-the-cob

slicing kernels off the cob

(I recommend doing it directly into the bowl.)

grated corn

I wasn't sure whether to include all the corn milk,
since the recipe didn't say. I decided to add it
to the bowl and the batter wasn't too liquidy.

whole kernels mixed with grated kernels

everything else added

fritter batter mixed

fritters frying

fritters flipped

beautiful, golden corn fritters

These are so good that my daughter's friend Emily
enjoyed them (and her mom says she doesn't even like corn).
Maddie and her friend Samantha liked them too
(but they already like corn, so that's not as impressive).

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Apple Rhubarb Cake with Spiced Whipped Cream

I made this a while back (when it was rhubarb season) and totally forgot to post it. Which is exactly why I need a blog to help me remember what I've been cooking. Only I'm not sure how to remember to post everything. So I guess it doesn't always work. But better late than never. Especially for this humble, yet fantastic, cake. I just loved it (that much I can remember). It was super moist and if you're nervous about the garam masala with the fruit, don't be - it's what makes this cake so unique. And the spiced whipped cream...I could eat a bowl of that with a spoon, like ice cream. Unfortunately I over-whipped mine and it came out thick and lumpy (not exactly photo ready - scroll down). But that didn't hinder the flavor (or slow me down) one bit.

 

APPLE RHUBARB CAKE WITH SPICED WHIPPED CREAM

Yield: 1 (9-inch) cake

Apple Rhubarb Cake:

2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 Granny Smith apples

1 cup chopped rhubarb

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan

1 egg

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2/3 cup half-and-half

Spiced Whipped Cream:

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon gram masala

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1.      Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter a 9-inch spring form pan and coat with the breadcrumbs.

2.      Toss together the sugars. Set aside.

3.      Peel and core the apples, then slice each apple into 16 wedges. Combine the cinnamon and 1/3 cup of the sugar mixture in a medium bowl. Add the apple wedges and chopped rhubarb, and toss to coat.

4.      Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and remaining sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and mix until combined. On low speed, add the flour and baking powder. Slowly add the half-and-half. Add apple and rhubarb then fold in well.

5.      Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until the center is golden brown, about 35-40 minutes.

6.      Let cake cool completely. Run a small offset spatula around the edge to release from pan and remove spring form.

7.      To make whipped cream, place all ingredients in a bowl and whip to soft peaks. Serve with cake.

from huffingtonpost.com by Marcus Samuelsson

Granny Smith apples

rhubarb

cinnamon and sugar

adding cinnamon-sugar to apples and rhubarb

mixed

butter and sugar

adding egg

adding flour and baking powder

adding half 'n half

batter mixed

mixing in the apples and rhubarb

pouring batter into breadcrumb-coated pan

ready to bake

baked

a few slices got eaten before the
spiced whipped cream even got made

cream, spices and sugar

whipping

over-whipped

It isn't quite butter yet, but it's too thick
and not nice and smooth anymore...

...but it still tastes amazing, so on it goes.

apple rhubarb cake with slightly sad spiced whipped cream

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Grits with Corn and Vidalia Onion

The corn from the farmer's market has been so sweet lately, we've been eating it on the cob at least once a week. I wanted to take advantage of all that fresh corn while it's still available, so I joined it up with more corn (in the form of grits) and made this creamy side dish. I just love the technique of grating the onions. It's perfect for when you have a kid who doesn't (or at least thinks she doesn't) like onions. They kind of dissolve into the dish and you get all the flavor without the oniony texture. The perfect crime.

GRITS WITH CORN AND VIDALIA ONION

Yield: 6 to 8 (side dish) servings

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 onion, preferably Vidalia, grated

1 cup kernels scraped from 2 ears fresh sweet corn

2 cups whole milk

2 cups water

coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup stone-ground or coarse-ground grits

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 3 oz.)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1.      In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until transparent, about 2 minutes. Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kernels become soft, about 5 minutes.

2.      Add the milk, water, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Whisk in the grits, decrease the heat to low, and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the grits are creamy and thick, 45 to 60 minutes. Stir in the butter, cheese, parsley, and chives. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

from Bon Appétit, Y'all: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking by Ellen Silverman and Virginia Willis

grated onion

shucking corn

corn kernels

onions cooking

onions and corn kernels

milk, water and salt added

adding the grits

whisking

thickened

Mine took more like 30 minutes to thicken.

parsley and chives

whisking in butter, herbs and cheese

grits with corn and vidalia onion

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