A corn fritter is a sweet and savory individual-size snack made by frying a corn-based batter in oil. Its exact origins are unknown, although we know that corn has been used as food by the Native Americans for thousands of years. When European settlers came to the New World, the Indians taught them how to process corn into cornmeal and introduced them to many corn-based recipes that they adapted to create their own variations. Although deep-frying was not a cooking technique used by the Indians, it’s likely that Portuguese colonists tried their method of frying food in palm oil using corn soon after learning about the versatile vegetable. Likely originating in the South, as many fried foods did, corn fritters have remained a traditional Southern dish commonly served as an appetizer or snack.
Recipe Servings: 15
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt, and more as needed for seasoning
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- Vegetable oil, as needed for frying
- Sour cream or salsa, as needed for dipping (optional)
Directions
- Combine the corn, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
- Stir in the eggs and heavy cream until the batter is well-combined.
- Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with vegetable oil and place it over medium-high heat.
- Place a 2–3 tablespoon scoop of the batter into the hot oil, pressing it into a flat circle shape. Repeat this process until the pan is full, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Additional oil may need to be added to the pan between batches.
- Cook the fritters for 2–3 minutes on one side before flipping them and cooking them an additional 3 minutes or until they are golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer the fritters to a plate lined with paper towel.
- Season the fritters immediately with salt.
- Serve the fritters hot with sour cream or salsa on the side for dipping, if desired.
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