Notes from a Devon Kitchen

July 1998

Topsham, Devon, July 22, 1998 July, in spite of continuing miserable weather in what has been one of the worst summers in memory, has been an active and exciting month here: starting with the school's 4th of July PTA party, followed by the jazz fancy dress party at Anchor House, the Topsham Maritime Weekend (and our dramatic river "rescue" -- flares and all -- by the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat), and culminating last weekend in Flip Webster's excellent production in Matthew's Hall, and the "Opera Proms" last night of the Exeter Festival in the gardens of Killerton House, complete with the usual near hysterical Union Jack flagwaving, Jerusalem, Land of Hope and Glory, and a magnificent firework display to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. Lots of party and picnic food, too, like these simple but delicious corn fritters, best served piping hot off the griddle with a Korean inspired soya, vinegar and cilantro dipping sauce.

Corn Fritters with Soya and Vinegar Dipping Sauce

4 tablespoons self-raising flour
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablsepoons milk (or sufficient to make a medium batter)
1 medium tin of sweetcorn
4 or 5 spring onions, chopped
2 or 3 tablespoons pickled jalapeño peppers, coarsely chopped
Vegetable oil for frying
Dipping Sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon rice or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Bunch of freshly chopped cilantro (coriander)
Mix together the dipping sauce ingredients, and set aside in a serving bowl. Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, and mix together with your hands. Add the self-raising flour, salt and milk, and mix to make a medium batter. Add the drained tin of sweetcorn, chopped spring onions, and jalapeños and mix well. Heat up a griddle or large frying pan to medium, wipe the griddle with a smear of vegetable oil, and add large spoonfuls of the mixture. Press down with a spatula and cook for 2-3 minutes a side, turning once. Drain on kitchen paper, and continue until all the mixture is cooked. Serve at once, piping hot from the griddle, together with the soya, vinegar and cilantro dipping sauce. Alternatively, these fritters are delicious cold, too, served as picnic fare.
Wine Suggestion The assertive flavour of these simple fritters requires a full-bodied wine as a partner: try a Tokai d'Alsace or Guigal's always dependable white Côtes du Rhone. Alternatively, if it is hot (we live in hope), pass around a platter of the fritters in your garden to serve with bottles of ice cold Becks beer.

Copyright © Marc Millon 2000