MAKES 1 DOZEN 2½-INCH FRITTERS
One of our sous-chefs, Nance Tourigny, devised these terrific corn fritters during her first month on the job. The staff thought them absolutely delicious and they and our customers could not get enough of them.
Frozen corn will not work here; we tried it. The taste is flat and uninspired. Wait for the real thing to make them.
The batter can be made up to an hour in advance. Frying the fritters takes only minutes.
Cutting corn kernels off the cob can be a sweet but messy business. The kernels fly and the milk drips from the cob, and there you are covered with the stuff. What to do?
Stand the cob in a wide, shallow container, then angle it to the right (or to the left, if you’re a lefty), which will allow the kernels to fall rather then fly. It’s a bit harder to see what you’re doing, but your blade will “feel” the cob if you keep your grip on the knife light.
A final penny’s worth of advice is to cut straight down on the cob, rather than sawing back and forth. The sawing helps the flying, and the straight shot helps the fall.
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon Roasted Szechwan Pepper-Salt (page 5)
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
½ teaspoon fresh ginger juice (squeezed from finely minced fresh ginger)
¾ teaspoon Chinese chili sauce
1⅓ cups fresh corn kernels
¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves and stems
¼ cup thinly sliced green and white scallion rings
2 to 3 tablespoons corn or peanut oil, for pan-frying
1. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper-salt in a bowl.
2. In a second, larger bowl, combine the egg, coconut milk, minced ginger, ginger juice, and chili sauce.
3. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and stir gently just until combined.
4. Add the corn, coriander, and scallions, and stir gently just until mixed. Do not overmix or the fritters will be tough. At this point, the mixture may be sealed and refrigerated for an hour. Let it come to room temperature before making the fritters.
5. About 15 minutes before serving, heat a large heavy skillet over high heat until a bead of water evaporates on contact. Add enough oil to thinly glaze the pan, then reduce the heat to moderate. When the oil is hot enough to foam a dab of the fritter mixture, drop it by heaping tablespoons into the pan, about 4 fritters at a time with at least 1 inch between them. Gently smooth the top of each fritter a bit to flatten. Fry until plump and golden, about 1½ minutes on each side, adjusting the heat so the fritters foam without scorching. Cut open the first fritter to be sure it is cooked through. Remove the first batch to paper towels to drain, then fry the second batch; add oil between batches as needed.
6. Serve promptly, overlapping one fritter with its plate-mate to garner a bit of height.
MENU SUGGESTIONS: I particularly like these corn cakes with our steamed and baked fish dishes, such as Baked Snapper with Red Curry Sauce (page 199). Or, for a summer buffet, team them with your favorites among our cold fish, poultry, and noodle dishes.