Looking for an easy light lunch for the end of summer? Corn and Red-Pepper Fritters are the answer. These easy-to-make fritters, with just a few ingredients, originated with my spouse’s Pennsylvania Dutch grandmother. (See other Pennsylvania Dutch recipes here, here, and here.) I added the red pepper and changed the seasonings to make the fritters more flavorful. It’s a great use of tender, sweet, season-end corn.
Fritter batter ingredients.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Beat together the egg and the milk. Add that mixture to the dry ingredients .
Add the beaten egg and milk to the dry ingredients.
Whisk until smooth.
Beat the batter until smooth.
Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. If you’re in a rush, you can skip this step and continue with the recipe immediately. I find, however, that letting the batter rest gives a better consistency to these Corn and Red -Pepper fritters. I like making it the night before because it saves time when lunchtime arrives.
Husk the corn, hold the ear upright, and cut off the kernels with a sharp, heavy knife.
Cut the corn kernels from the cob.
Cut the red pepper into very small dice.
Dice the red pepper.
Stir the corn and the pepper into the batter thoroughly.
Stir the vegetables into the batter.
In a skillet, heat a generous amount of vegetable oil. When hot, drop large spoonfuls into the oil. Fry until golden brown on both sides.
Fry until golden.
Note: Be very careful to keep yourself, and especially your face, away from the skillet while frying the fritters because a corn kernel can suddenly pop and burn you. I made this mistake once and got some pretty nasty burns. Your best bet would be one of the those mesh splatter screens. If you don’t have one of these, just don’t lean over the pan.
Serve Corn and Red-Pepper Fritters with butter, red pepper purée, or tomato sauce. I prefer just the butter because it helps bring out the flavor of the fritter without masking it, and maintains the crispness.
Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated in a 350° oven for about 8-10 minutes.
