CORN FRITTERS WITH CHIPOTLE-MAPLE MAYONNAISE

Why this recipe works a Southern favorite, corn fritters are an irresistible side at a barbecue but also make a delicious appetizer, especially when served with a sweet-and-spicy mayo. The ideal fritter is amazingly crisp and golden brown on the outside, creamy and bursting with sweet corn flavor on the inside. For light—not leaden—fritters, we minimized the number of added fillers, processing some of the kernels to use as a thickener rather than more flour or cornmeal. This also helped the fresh corn flavor shine through. Browning the corn puree in a skillet drove off excess moisture and deepened the flavor even more. Cayenne, nutty Parmesan, and oniony chives balanced the natural sweetness of the corn, and a touch of cornstarch crisped the exteriors and helped provide a wonderful textural contrast with the light and creamy interior.

MAKES: 12 fritters

TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

CHIPOTLE-MAPLE MAYONNAISE:

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

FRITTERS:

• 3 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs (about 3 cups)
• 1 teaspoon plus ½ cup vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup minced fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

INSTRUCTIONS:

FOR THE MAYONNAISE:

1. Whisk all ingredients in bowl until smooth; set aside for serving.

FOR THE FRITTERS:

1. Process 1½ cups corn in food processor to uniform coarse puree, 15 to 20 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl halfway through processing; set aside.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add remaining 1½ cups corn and ⅛ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.
3. Return skillet to medium heat, add corn puree, and cook, stirring frequently, until puree is consistency of thick oatmeal (puree should cling to spatula rather than dripping off), about 5 minutes. Stir puree into corn in bowl. Rinse skillet and wipe dry with paper towels.
4. Stir flour, 3 tablespoons chives, Parmesan, cornstarch, cayenne, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper into corn mixture until well combined. Gently stir in egg until incorporated.
5. Line rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Heat remaining ½ cup oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Drop six 2- tablespoon portions batter into skillet, then flatten with spatula into 2½- inch disks. Fry until deep golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer fritters to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining batter.
6. Transfer fritters to serving platter and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve immediately with chipotle-maple mayonnaise.