Crab and Corn Fritters

• makes 40

• Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes cooling

• Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
20 g unsalted butter
1–2 large sweetcorn, kernels stripped, gives about 400 g
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
3 spring onions, sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
250 g cooked crab meat, picked over to remove any shell
30 g chopped coriander
75 g plain flour
40 g fine polenta
1 teaspoon baking powder
185 ml buttermilk
2 free-range eggs, separated
1 litre vegetable or rice bran oil
hot sauce, to serve
lime cheeks, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the corn kernels, chilli flakes and spring onion and sauté for 3–4 minutes, or until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature.
2. When the corn mixture is cool, add the crab meat, coriander, flour, polenta, baking powder, buttermilk and egg yolks, and fold together until well combined.
3. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of sea salt until firm peaks form, then take a large spoonful and fold it into the corn mixture. Fold in the remaining egg white.
4. Heat the oil in a wok or small saucepan. Working in batches of three or four, slide heaped teaspoons of the corn mixture carefully into the hot oil, turning with tongs to cook on all sides. They will puff and turn golden when cooked. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.
5. Season with sea salt and serve immediately with hot sauce and lime cheeks.

Notes