Cook Like Mad

Summer Corn Fritters with Mixed Fruit Salsa

People constantly ask me, “What’s your favorite thing to make?” As if I, having gone to culinary school, should have a set answer for this question. As if I’m not a great cook if I don’t have an answer. Please. The reason I don’t have an answer is because this is an unanswerable question. Do you ask a parent which child is their favorite? I hope not. How could someone choose a favorite dish? With every dish I make again and again I gain mastery of it, and with every new dish I make or create I expand my culinary repertoire. While these feelings of mastery and novelty are equally as satisfying in their own ways, I constantly find myself more inclined to cook a new dish over one that is tried and true.

Since I don’t cook much in my apartment in New York, when I go down to DC to visit my boyfriend, I love taking advantage of his larger kitchen and surprising him with new dishes. I also love the challenge of cooking something new. I don’t come from a family that has a rich culinary heritage, so when I started cooking when I was 12 years old, I started with a pretty clean slate. Sure, my mom taught me how to measure, mix, bake, and saute, and my dad taught me how to grill and make a mean dish of lox, eggs, and onions, but the food we ate was largely based on what we found at the supermarket that was fresh and healthy (and often, organic), rather than on recipes passed down through generations.

As a result, I feel no duty to keep certain dishes alive, nor do I feel compelled to learn family dishes before I delve into making others that truly pique my interest. I am in the clear. I can cook what I want. Maybe that lack of responsibility to pass down culinary traditions is what frees me to cook simply what I’m interested in cooking. I suppose I take full advantage of this freedom by cooking something new nearly every time I cook. Maybe not something completely new, but I always have to add a new twist. The only real exception to this is my omelet- which I have down to a science- but that’s for another post.

So the more “new” dishes I cook, the more I realize that creating a satisfying meal is more than just finding a balance in its taste elements (sweet, salty, bitter, sour, umami); it’s also about finding a balance- or an appropriate contrast- in its temperature. Often, we take this for granted. For example, aren’t most fried foods served hot with a cold sauce? Have you really ever thought about how pervasive this is? I have, and here are some examples: crab cakes with remoulade, fried fish with tartar sauce, falafel with hummus, chicken wings with blue cheese dressing….I could go on and on. The thing is, all of these cold elements aren’t healthy (save, hummus), so while they add a cold contrast, they only really serve to make an already unhealthy food even unhealthier. My solution was to create a healthier fried dish with an even healthier cold element to satisfy my craving of having a dish with a contrast in temperatures: corn fritters with mixed fruit salsa! The corn fritters are sweet and savory, as is the salsa, which includes peaches, mangoes, pineapple, red onions, lime juice, and cilantro. Serve this as an appetizer, as a vegetarian entree, or add grilled shrimp, for a heartier meal. Enjoy! We did : )

Summer Corn Fritters with Mixed Fruit Salsa

Yield: 4 Servings

For Salsa: (hint: make this first so it can macerate in the fridge while you cook the fritters. The flavors will meld and yield you a better result. Adjust the salt right before serving. )

2 yellow peaches, diced

1 large mango, or two small mangoes, peeled and diced

1/2 pineapple, trimmed of rough exterior and inner brown seeds, diced (eat the other half as a snack or save for later)

1 small red onion, minced

1 lime, juiced

1/4 cup cilantro (or to taste), minced

1/4 cup canola oil

slightly less salt than desired, to taste

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to macerate, at least 30 min, but up to 5 hours.

For Corn Fritters:

3 ears fresh corn (white, yellow, or mixed), shucked, kernels cut off the cob with a large knife.

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup cornmeal (don’t buy cornmeal just for this, you can substitute 1/4 cup flour if you don’t have it in your pantry)

1 egg

1/2 cup milk (or buttermilk, if you’re feeling adventurous)

2 Tbsp canola oil

1/8 cup cilantro, minced

1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, minced (optional)

salt, pepper and cayenne to taste

Canola oil (or peanut oil, if no one’s allergic), for frying

Method:

1. Mix flour and cornmeal in a large bowl. Mix the egg and milk in a separate bowl until well incorporated and add to dry ingredients. Mix gently, leaving some flour in clumps. Fold in corn kernels, cilantro, jalapeno (if using), and 2 tbsp canola oil. Be careful to only mix to incorporate the ingredients, no further. Over-mixing will activate the gluten in the flour and yield you a tough fritter rather than a delicate one. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Batter will be very thick.

2. Heat enough oil in a large pan to come a 1/2 inch up the sides, over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, test a spoonful of the batter to check the seasoning, and adjust the salt/pepper/cayenne as necessary. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil and spread each with the back of a spoon to a diameter of 2-3 inches. They should be about a 1/4 inch thick. Shallow fry on one side until golden brown, flip, and finish browning on the other side. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with the salsa piled on top, or served on the side.

*Note: These are also excellent with guacamole! (Guacamole: Mash 2 avocados, add 1/2 small onion (minced), 1 small tomato (seeded and diced), the juice of 1/2 a lime and 2 tbsp minced cilantro, and adjust salt to taste. Add 1 minced jalapeno (seeds and ribs removed) or 1/2 minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce, if you want it spicy.)

Enjoy!

-M : )

Posted August 12th, 2007 under Cooking, Vegetables. Tags: Cooking, corn and fruit salsa, corn fritters, corn fruit, corn pancakes, fritters, fruit fritters, fruit salsa, mixed fruit salsa, pan fried, recipe, summer salsa
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