Recipe: Corn Fritters

Recipe: Corn Fritters
Jenny Osburn | The Union Street Cafe Cookbook | www.jennyosburn.com

Jenny Osburn is the author of The Union Street Café Cookbook. Her second collaboration with Laura MacDonald of Deep Hollow Print, The Kitchen Party Cookbook, will be available this fall! Find more recipes at jennyosburn.com and see what she’s up to on instagram at jenny.osburn

Well the countdown is on. The Kitchen Party Cookbook will soon be on the shelf at bookstores, farmer’s markets, and coffee shops, and hopefully in your kitchen! Laura MacDonald even let my kids and I use her press to print a few covers last week, and she and Gaspereau Press are working hard to produce a beautiful book for you. Consider yourself invited to our official launch party at The Noodle Guy on Sunday, September 17, from 2pm-4pm(ish). We’ll be serving up some recipes from the book, along with Annapolis Valley drinkables, and live music with Zak Miller, Sarah MacInnis, and maybe even The Dearlies (consider it a Deep Roots warm-up!)

In the meantime, don’t waste the last of this summer’s amazing corn. I stole this recipe straight from the new book to share with you.

Corn Fritters

These summertime treats, a favourite of my Dad’s, are a celebration of the short sweet corn season. With barely enough batter to hold them together, this is all about the corn. Either raw or leftover cooked corn on the cob will work beautifully in this recipe, all I ask is that you make it only when the corn is piled high at your local farmers’ market. A pinch of toasted cumin and a handful of green onion are great additions. Corn fritters are pretty great on their own, but for something really special, get your hands on a jar of Jason Lynch’s Bacon Jam and spoon a little on top. It’s found at Le Caveau (Jason’s restaurant), Pete’s Fine Foods, and at both locations of Made in the Maritimes, wonderful Halifax boutiques devoted to celebrating the work of Atlantic Canadian artisans. You’ll also find my books there!

4 cobs fresh corn, raw or cooked
2 Tbsp flour (you could also use rice flour)
2 eggs
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp cumin, toasted and ground (optional)
2 green onions, sliced (optional)
butter and canola oil for frying

Stand one cob of corn on end on your cutting board, then cut the corn from the cob. Scrape the cob clean with the edge of the knife. Repeat with the remaining cobs. Measure 2 cups of corn kernels and place in a large bowl. Add the flour, eggs, salt, and optional cumin and green onion. Stir well to combine.

Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat and add a tablespoon each of butter and oil. When the butter has melted, use a tablespoon to dole out the batter, spacing the fritters for easy turning. Fry on one side for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown, then flip and cook a minute on the other side. Be careful, sometimes the corn kernels pop and splutter! Serve right away or keep the fritters warm in a low oven. My Dad recommends a little butter melting on top and possibly a drizzle of maple syrup. They are also great at room temperature.