Quinoa Fritters with Fresh Corn & Basil Salad

more ways to eat corn.

and quinoa, too. 

Sweet Onion, Corn & Basil Quinoa Fritters 

with

Fresh Corn & Basil Salad

When all else fails (or becomes tiresome), make fritters.

So... I bought too much corn. That's the long and the short of it. I ever so slightly (read: wildly) overestimated just how many ears would get eaten during a 7-person camping trip. Three per person seemed so very reasonable when standing before the massive corn pile at the local farm stand.  But no, three per person was not so reasonable. Three per person is how I wound up schlepping 20+ ears of corn from Boston to Maine, then 15 from Maine back to Boston. So it all began with the corn. More specifically the desire to expand the use of my overstuffed refrigerator beyond just corn storage. When all else fails, or becomes frustratingly tiresome (you couldn't pay me to eat another ear of grilled corn right now), make fritters. I've used this technique in years past when drowning in midsummer zucchini. Shred it, add a grain, some seasonings, a binder and fry those babies up. I'm here to tell you, the zucchini principal holds true for corn; these little fritters are damn tasty. Maybe even worth buying more corn for...

Hello empty vegetable drawers, how I have missed you. 

Time to hit the farm stand again. 

Fresh corn on the cob, grated and ready to be added to quinoa mix.

Recipe notes:

This recipe calls for removing corn kernels from the cob in two different ways. The first being grating (for the fritters), for which you simply shuck and de-silk the corn cob and grate it over the coarse part of a box grater. This will yield a (slightly messy) pulpy corn mash. The second (for the corn salad) being shaving the kernels from the cob using a kitchen knife. This New York Times video tutorial will show you two simple techniques for removing corn kernels.

Prepare quinoa well ahead of time, as it needs to cool completely beforehand. You could easily cook the quinoa the night before.

Quinoa Fritters with

Fresh Corn & Basil Salad

(makes about 20 small fritters)

For the Corn & Basil Salad:

1 cob of corn shucked and kernels shaved from cob

1/2c loosely packed torn basil leaves

1/4c minced sweet onion

1tsp apple cider vinegar

1tsp freshly squeezed lime juice

2tsp olive oil

salt and black pepper to taste
crushed red pepper to taste

Shuck, de-silk corn and shave kernels from the cob.

Whisk together vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl combine basil, corn and onion.

Pour dressing over top and toss to combine.

Season to taste.

Forming quinoa mix into patties before frying.

For the Quinoa Fritters:

1c quinoa/ 2c water

1 cob of corn, shucked and grated (approximately 1/3c)

1/2c whole wheat flour

1/3c minced sweet onion

1/2c minced basil

2Tbsp ground flax seeds

 6Tbsp boiling water

2Tbsp nutritional yeast

2tsp sea salt

1tsp black pepper

1tsp crushed red pepper

1tsp paprika

Oil for frying

Rinse and drain quinoa. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add quinoa and toast for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. 

Add 2c water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 12-15 minutes. 

Allow to cool completely.

These are gonna be good.

In a small bowl, whisk together ground flax seeds and boiling water. Set aside and allow to thicken and cool. 

Place a box grater over a bowl or dish and grate corn lengthwise until all kernels are removed. You will wind up with a pulpy, liquid-y corn mash, measuring about 1/3cup.

In a large mixing bowl combine cooled quinoa, grated corn, sweet onion, basil, flour, nutritional yeast, salt, peppers and paprika. 

Stir to combine, being careful not to over mix. 

Add cooled flax mixture, stir gently until combined.

Season more as needed. 

Using a tablespoon, scoop out dough and gently form it into balls using your hands.

Roll in a little bit of flour, flatten into a patty and set in a single layer 

on a plate or baking sheet.

Heat 2Tbsp of oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. 

In batches, add fritters and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. 

Add more oil as needed. 

Serve with the corn and basil salad.