Sweetcorn & Chive Fritters

Mclaughlin, Cory. 'Eat & Relish'. Relishme.files.wordpress.com. N.p., 2012. Web. 4 Mar. 2015.

Feature Ingredient: Chives

Chives are the smallest species of edible onion genus.The English word "Chives" is derived from the French, "Cive", which is from the Latin word "Cepa" for onion. Chives are native to Europe, Asia and North America, and are most commonly used as a herb to flavour dishes. Their usages date back thousands of years; The Romans believed that chives could relieve pain from sunburn or a sore throat, they also believed that eating chives could increase blood pressure. Chives are also rich in Vitamin A and C, calcium and iron, however, it shouldn't be consumed in large quantities, as overconsumption may lead to digestive problems!

Another variation of Chives is Allium tuberosum, commonly known as garlic chives or Chinese chives. This kind of chives are more of a vegetable than a herb; it is used in Chinese, Nepal and Korean cuisine. In this recipe, the type of chives required is not specific, however, I think the sweetcorn and chive fritter recipe I was using required the first type of chives mentioned, however, I used the second type, which worked out fine as well. Some background information on corn fritters; they are a traditional savoury snack originating from Southern USA and are usually deep/shallow fried. As always, I altered the recipe slightly to suit the number of people and preferences; I experimented with shallow frying and not using oil at all, a healthier option.

Recipe: Sweetcorn & Chive Fritters

Serves 7

Ingredients:
400g sweet corn kernels, drained
350g plain flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp melted butter
4 eggs, whites and yolks separated
400ml milk
1 small bunch chives, chopped
Oil, for frying
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper into a mixing bowl. 
2. Add the milk, melted butter and egg yolks into the bowl. Mix into a smooth batter.
3. Stir in the corn kernels and chives.
4. Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until soft peaks. Fold the egg white mixture into the batter.
5. Using a non-stick pan cook the fritters, using about 1 tbsp for each fritter, cook for 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden. Alternatively, using about 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and fry each of the fritters for 2 - 5 minutes or until golden - using oil  will make the fritters more crispy. Use a paper towel to absorb excess oil from the fritters if necessary
6. Serve with additional chives and condiments if preferred.

Below are some photos of my cooking process;

Combining the liquid ingredients to the dry mixture.

Whisk away!

Stir in the chives and corn.

Fold in the beated egg whites.

Cooking the fritters without oil.

 Cooking the fritters with olive oil.

Cook until golden brown.

Serve with additional chives and/or condiments.

There are various way to present your fritters; I tried a platter style and a regular meal setting.

Ratings/Comments:

Price: 1/5

Difficulty: 3/5

Taste: 3/5

Overall: 3/5

(1 being lowest/not good - 5 being highest/best)

Sweetcorn and chive fritters are an inexpensive starter or snack; they also suit occasions which require finger food! The fritters are not too difficult to make, although I did find separating the whites and yolks of the eggs quite hard (and slippery). A tip for separating that part would be to make sure to crack the egg in the centre or towards the middle, so that theres an even amount of shell on each side, making the separating process of tossing the yolk back and forth easier. 

Another way to improve this recipe would be to add more spices or herbs as it was a little bland, however, it did taste better with other sauces. Perhaps it would also be suitable as a "bread" to dip into any new sauces you try making. Any suggestions? If you prefer to have more corn or chives then definitely add more to your batter (it really is up to you!), but I would suggest not having so much corn kernels to the point where the fritters are just falling apart!

- C