This recipe for fresh-from-the-cob corn fritters is from Deborah Madison’s excellent cookbook Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmers’ Markets. The only adaptation I’ve made is to switch from the aged cheddar she suggests to an aged gouda or goat cheese if I happen to have that on hand. As Madison says, “these crunchy fritters are all corn, not just a few corn kernels suspended in batter.” I’d recommend both the fritter recipe and the book to anyone who loves to cook produce from their garden or farmers’ market.

Fresh Corn Fritters with Cheese and Arugula

A light, crunchy, all-corn fritter mellowed by a bit of aged cheddar or gouda.

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 ears sweet corn, enough to yield 3 cups kernels
2 eggs, beaten
4 scallions or 2 small spring onions, including an inch of the greens, finely sliced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons shredded basil or dill (though it's fine without either)
1 cup grated or crumbled cheese (aged cheddar, Swiss, gouda, Jack, edam, or even goat cheese)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Unsalted butter or oil for frying (I prefer coconut or olive oil)
3 handfuls arugula, stems removed, as a tasty garnish

Instructions

Slice the tops of the kernels off the corn, then reverse your knife and press out the milk. Mix the kernels and scrapings with the eggs, scallions, herbs, cheese, and as much flour as can easily be absorbed. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper.
Melt enough butter or heat enough oil to cover a wide skillet generously. Divide the batter roughly into sixths and drop into the skillet. Fry over medium heat until golden, about 2 minutes, then turn and brown the second side.
Place a fritter on each of 6 plates and top with the arugula leaves. Serve right away.

Have you ever eaten a corn fritter before? Let us know in the comments!