We recently found ourselves with four ears of corn and no plan for their consumption. Fortunately, we discovered (and modified) a recipe for vegan, gluten-free corn fritters. What a find! These outrageously tasty cakes are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Though we used fresh corn, you can easily make do with frozen or canned. If you do opt for fresh corn, just scrape the kernels from the cobs with a small, sharp knife. The results will be well worth the effort.

FRITTER INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup all-purpose, gluten-free flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon plant milk (we used a mixture of coconut and almond, but any will do. The richer, the better).
1 cup corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
2 teaspoons chopped jalapeno (optional)
dash or two of paprika (optional)
olive oil for frying

TOPPING SAUCE INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
dash or two of fresh ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Pour flour, cornmeal, garlic powder, baking powder, sea salt, pepper and paprika into a large bowl, and combine ingredients thoroughly. Add the plant milk to the mixture and whisk until smooth. The batter should be thick and creamy, but not runny.

Add the corn, bell pepper, green onions, Italian parsley and optional jalapenos. Continue stirring until you have a nice batter. It will seem a bit loose, but don’t despair. The mixture will thicken and fry up beautifully in your pan.

Heat the olive oil on your stovetop and scoop a few spoonfuls of batter from the bowl. Form them into a round patty in the center of the frying pan. Fry evenly on both sides until the fritter attains a nice brown color and crispy texture on both sides. Repeat until all your batter is gone.

In a small bowl, combine the vegan mayonnaise and Dijon mustard, then toss in a shake or two of fresh ground pepper. Place a big dollop of the sauce on each of your fritters.

Makes about four medium-sized fritters, enough for two hungry people. Though this is technically a side dish, we have been known to enjoy it for dinner with a small salad and a glass of gluten-free beer. Corn has more protein than you might think! Believe it or not, you can freeze these fritters if necessary. But it won’t be necessary, because there won’t be any left.