Corn and Zucchini Fritters

This recipe has become a staple in our house because it is really simple but so delicious during the peak late summer months when zucchini and corn are everywhere. You don't need to do much to bring out the fresh corn flavor, so the ingredients aren't the most revolutionary - they just taste good together. If you wanted to get a little fancy, you could garnish the fritters with fresh herbs (both cilantro and basil would be great) or an avocado crema. But honestly? They don't need much to shine - there are never any left over after we make them.The key here is to really get as much water out of the zucchini as possible. Zucchini are a really wet vegetable, which naturally causes them to want to steam instead of fry - if you skip the draining step, you'll end up with a soggy fritter which is no fun. 

Corn and Zucchini Fritters

Serves 3-4 Ingredients: 

• 2 medium zucchini
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 ears of corn, shucked and kernels off the cob
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Vegetable oil for frying

Method:

• In a medium bowl, grate the zucchini and then toss with about 1 tsp of salt. Let stand for at least 10 minutes while the the salt brings out the water. Drain the zucchini, and then continue to squeeze out all excess water, either with your hands or with a dishtowel.
• In a large bowl, add the corn, onion, garlic and (now relatively dry) zucchini and mix to combine. Add the  cornmeal, flour, baking soda, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and mix to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk and eggs, and then add that to the corn zucchini mixture.
• Heat a large pan on medium high heat. Once hot, add enough vegetable oil to lightly coat the pan - you don't want to add the oil until the pan is hot, otherwise the fritters will stick. Using a big spoon, scoop a spoonful of batter into the oil, being careful to pat down so the fritters are flat and not mounded (this will help them cook more evenly). Cook one fritter first until it is golden brown on each side and then taste for seasoning - you might need to add a bit more salt or pepper (this is a great way to test out something that you can't taste raw - always cook off a little bit first).
• Once you know you like the seasoning of the fritters, work in batches, cooking all the fritters until they're golden brown, a couple of minutes per side. You might need to add more oil as you go, as it absorbs into the fritters. Drain the fritters on paper towels and finish with salt.