Fritter away a long weekend
We’re all back at work but with a few public holidays on the horizon, there’ll be time to enjoy a leisurely brunch.
Having survived ‘‘Blue Monday’’ – heading back to work, like so many others – I am now hanging out for the upcoming long weekends throughout the year.
These fritters make a great leisurely brunch to share with friends while away for a few days, or chilling at home. The combination of corn, prawns and chorizo is a great flavour match, particularly with the addition of sweet smoked paprika and cumin – just add a hit of chilli (feel free to add more if you like it hot), and you’re almost done.
I love these fritters served simply with sliced avocado and the super-quick chilli lime mayo, but to make them go even further, (and transform them into a substantial dinner dish), serve with runny-yolked poached or fried eggs, or even a few rocket leaves tossed in a little olive oil and a squeeze of lime.
Another obvious side is a tomato salsa made with chopped ripe tomatoes, finely chopped red onion, coriander, chilli and half a teaspoon of sugar – stir through a little olive oil and lime juice to serve. If you can’t get your hands on fresh corn (or can’t be bothered with the faff), drained tinned corn will work fine.
Long weekend corn, prawn & chorizo fritters
Serves: 6 (makes 12) Preparation time:
25 minutes Cooking time:
20 minutes (in batches)
❚ 3 cooked cobs corn
❚ 300g raw prawns
❚ 3 eggs
❚ 1 red onion
❚ 11⁄4 cups plain flour (plus 1-2 tablespoons extra if needed)
❚ 11⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
❚ 1 teaspoon cumin
❚ 1⁄2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
❚ 1⁄2 teaspoon chilli flakes
❚ 3 spring onions
❚ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
❚ 200g chorizo (2), finely chopped
❚ 1⁄2 red capsicum, finely chopped
❚ 1⁄4 cup olive oil
❚ 3 avocados, halved and sliced
❚ Poached or fried eggs optional
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
Stand the corn cobs upright and slice off the kernels. Roughly chop the prawns and set half aside.
Put half of the corn into a food processor with half of the prawns and all of the eggs.
Roughly chop half of the onion and add to the food processor, finely chop the remainder and reserve to garnish.
Add the flour, baking powder and spices to the food processor and pulse to combine.
Roughly chop two of the spring onions and add to the mixture. Finely slice the remaining spring onion and reserve to garnish. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and pulse again just until thick and very chunky.
Tip out into a bowl and add the remaining corn kernels, chopped prawns, chorizo and red capsicum. Fold to combine.
Heat oil, two tablespoons at a time and cook fritters in batches, 2-3 minutes each side until cooked through. (Keep cooked fritters in the oven while cooking the rest).
Serve fritters with avocado, garnished with reserved spring onions and red onion, and a good dollop of coriander and lime mayo. If desired, also serve with fried or poached eggs.
Coriander and lime mayo
Makes: 11⁄4 cups Preparation time: 2 minutes Cooking time: Nil
❚ 2 cups coriander leaves
❚ 1⁄2 cup good quality mayonnaise
❚ 1⁄2 cup sour cream
❚ 1 clove garlic, crushed
❚ Finely grated zest of 2 limes
Put all the ingredients into a small food processor and whiz to combine.
Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Coriander and lime mayonnaise can be prepared up to three days before serving and stored in a sealed container in the fridge.
❚ Recipes, food styling and photography by Sarah Tuck