Writing down recipes and ideas on how to use new or inspiring ingredients comes naturally to a chef, in fact it’s something we do every day. When I was asked to contribute a recipe here, I thought up a number of comfort food recipes for the lockdown and off I went to the shops to buy what I needed,
But it struck me that I couldn’t get some things as freely as usual. So I went home and put the few things I had on the table and wondered, what can I make with them?
My boyfriend said there wasn’t much I could do. But then I suggested corn fritters and a chutney, and explained the process to him. He admitted he would never have come up with that. You just need a little knowledge and creativity.
You can add anything to a basic fritter mix, so they are a great way of using up odds and ends before the next shop. They are easy and enjoyable for the whole household.
Ali Honour is chef owner of Ali’s Kitchen in Cork.
SPICED SWEETCORN FRITTERS WITH TOMATO, CHILLI AND CORIANDER CHUTNEY
Serves two
Ingredients
For the fritter batter:
2 tbsp polenta (just add more flour if no polenta)
3 tbsp flour
½ tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 tbsp Greek yoghurt
1 tsp salt
Additions to the fritter batter (feel free to vary these):
1 tin or carton sweetcorn (or use frozen)
½ an onion, chopped
2 spring onions, chopped (reserve a few pieces for garnish)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 or 2 tsp garam masala, curry powder or paste
½ a green chilli
Salt and pepper
Oil or butter, or both
For the chutney:
½ an onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
4-5 over ripe tomatoes, quartered
1 red chilli, finely sliced
2 tbsp mango chutney
Handful fresh coriander, chopped
Salt
Oil
Method
1. First make the super quick chutney. Fry the chopped onion and garlic in a little oil until soft. Add the tomatoes, chilli, salt and mango chutney. Stir and simmer on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir through the coriander. Set this aside while you make the fritters.
2. Dice the other half of the onion and garlic and fry in a little oil, stirring till starting to soften. Add the powdered spices or paste and cook out for few minutes, then add the corn and season with salt and pepper.
3. Mix all of all the fritter batter ingredients together, then stir in the onion, corn and spice mix.
4. Heat a small knob of butter and a little oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Fry two tablespoons of mix per fritter (this mix made six fritters), for one to two minutes, then turn them over and cook on the other side.
5. Serve straight away with the chutney, a dollop of yoghurt, some coriander and spring onion.
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