Corn Fritters with Pineapple Salsa

February 25, 2003

The boys-in-shorts are currently swarming all over our section.

Fresh from their pre-Christmas triumph on our top garden, the landscaper and his lads are back turning our lower weed collection into a garden, and taming the trees.

The painter and his lads are setting up the scaffolding and water blasting the house in preparation for painting.

One summer 22 years ago The Spouse and I actually participated in the house paint. As neither of us has a head for heights, a fair part of the time was spent rescuing one another off the fairly rudimentary scaffolding a builder relative had anchored to high parts of the house. He was able to scale all over it like a monkey. We, alas, being Earth types, would manage to psych ourselves into climbing onto the narrow catwalk, but then a momentary glance back over the shoulder to the earth far, far below and paralysis would set in.

In the end we settled for the parts of the house we could paint while our feet remained on the ground. Builder relative, laughing like hell behind his hand, would say there were some who could build and paint, and others "best left riding a desk‚".

Thereafter we chose to ride the desks and save all our money so we could afford to have real painters in.

Having finally committed ourselves to a colour scheme, we now await the transformation of the exterior of the house from tip to palace. It will make all those years of scrimping and saving at the desk worthwhile. Pity we never had the talent to take up landscaping and painting. There's money in those occupations!

Meanwhile on the kitchen front, it's work as usual. It's often worth considering fritters if you are flagging on ideas for a meal, but you feel like a change. Teamed with a salad and a tasty salsa, they can make a change from meat or fish and they make a pleasant light informal meal.

Today's recipe is for corn fritters. While some recipes call for fresh corn off the cob, I prefer to use creamstyle canned corn. The creamy sauce serves to add to the flavour. These fritters will take a fair amount of fresh herbs. I use a mix from the garden, but just choose what you have on hand. These are frequently seen on cafe menus, teamed with the ubiquitous sweet Thai chilli sauce. I prefer a sharp pineapple salsa.

Corn Fritters

1 425g can creamstyle corn
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup mixed, chopped fresh herbs (parsley, dill, sage, marjoram, basil, chervil - whatever you have)
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs, separated
salt
freshly ground pepper
a little milk

Place the corn in a bowl with the onions and herbs, Whisk in the flour, baking powder and the lightly beaten egg yolks and sufficient milk to make a dough batter. You may need about 1/4 cup of milk.(1) Don't make the mixture sloppy. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Whisk the egg whites until firm and gently fold into the batter (2).

Heat a frypan or grill plate, turn it back to medium and lightly oil it then spoon on the fritter batter . Cook the fritters until the top side begins to bubble (3). Turn and cook until golden (4). Place in a pre-heated oven to keep warm until needed (5). Serve on a bed of rocket leaves with cherry tomatoes, and pineapple salsa.

Pineapple Salsa

1 cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks
1 spring onion, finely chopped
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon chilli paste
1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
1/2 teaspoon salt

Coarsely chop the pineapple chunks and mix with the remaining ingredients. Chill until required.