corn nuggets
preferably made with fresh sweetcorn during corn season (i.e., right now)
What I’m reading: this review of The Plimsoll in The Pass, which I not only vehemently disagree with (I went a few months ago and loved it) but actually makes me want to go back ASAP
What I’m listening to: Big Food, Big Power on the BBC Food Programme
What I’m eating: dinner (and beer tower) at Speedboat Bar in Soho - ft. my fave (crispy pork and black pepper curry) and a prawn ceviche that nearly blew my head off
Corn has been at the very top of my list of favourite vegetables for a while now: my love affair with corn started in earnest during my time in Mexico two years ago, when I ate more than my share of elotes and esquites - but also gained a much greater appreciation for the versatility of corn in cooking. Corn is used widely in Mexican cuisine, from tortillas to tamales - and the range in corn varieties is truly astounding.
This recipe uses sweetcorn, which comes from the same family as the corn that would be used for masa harina, but is harvested young and used as a vegetable rather than a grain. You could use tinned corn for this recipe, but I would really recommend using fresh corn from the cob - the flavour is much better, and I think that the texture works better with this kind of batter. I’m calling these “nuggets” rather than “fritters” because in my very humble opinion, a fritter is something more liquid that is dropped by the spoonful into hot oil, while a nugget is already formed and can be dropped in using a pair of tongs. It is highly probable that I made this distinction up, but I’m sticking with it: these are corn nuggets.
These are excellent served with either a purée (like the sweetcorn purée we currently have on the menu at the Fat Badger) or an aioli, but the absolutely vital accompaniment is a fresh sauce, like a tomato salsa or sauce vierge. Just slice tomatoes in half, scoop out the seeds and cut into a brunoise/concasse situation, then chop in lots of fresh herbs, before seasoning with sherry vinegar and olive oil.
These nuggets come together super quickly: the most taxing job is grating the cheese (I used Old Winchester, which is a hard, nutty English cheese that we use instead of Parmesan). After that, it’s just a case of mixing wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and then letting the mixture set in a shallow tray. Once it’s firm, you can slice it up into little nuggets (I think the pillowy squares are cute), and drop them straight in the fryer. They are best served fresh (i.e., to order), but the mixture will keep, tightly wrapped, in the fridge for up to 3 days. Even if it appears to have oxidised a bit, it will come back to life perfectly once fried.
recipe: corn nuggets
