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Heidi Thornton's Quinoa Corn Fritters

Heidi Thornton's Quinoa Corn Fritters

Makes 10 fritters

Quinoa…it's a magical grain. Well, it's actually a seed (an ancient seed eaten by Inca Tribes) but we treat it like a grain. Quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it has the ideal set of amino acids - this is very unique for a plant-based product. It's also high in fibre and contains micronutrients such as iron and calcium. Quinoa has a low GI score (meaning it releases it's energy slowly) and it's also gluten free. What's not to love?

These quinoa corn fritters are packed with good nutrition AND flavour, with Melrose Organic Worcestershire Sauce adding an exciting flavour to the mix. The whole family will enjoy these healthy, versatile fritters that are bursting with sweet corn and wholesome fibre.

Ingredients

For the Quinoa:

  • ½ cup dry Quinoa
  • ½ cup Chicken Stock (or Vegetable Stock if you're vegetarian)
  • ½ cup Water


* Note: you can cook more quinoa if you wish to have on hand for other purposes i.e. salads. Just double or triple the quantities of quinoa, stock and water as desired.

For the Fritters:

  • 2-3 Corn Cobs, depending on their size. (You are after 390g Corn Kernels, weighed in a bowl after shaving the kernels off the cob with a knife).
  • 2 cloves Garlic, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon Melrose Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 cup cooked, cooled, firmly packed Quinoa
  • 1 egg
  • 3 heaped tablespoons (75g) Wholemeal Plain Flour
  • ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • 3 teaspoons Melrose Organic Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 heaped tablespoons freshly chopped Parsley
  • A pinch of Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Pepper
  • 3 teaspoons Melrose Extra Virgin Olive Oil


Method

  1. First up, cook your quinoa: rinse the dry quinoa under cold water using a fine sieve. Put the quinoa in a pot with the stock and water. Bring it to the boil then let it simmer down for ~15 minutes, adding more water if required. You will know it is cooked when the grain starts to separate and the water is mostly absorbed. Turn off the heat, pop the lid on and let it absorb any remaining water for ~10 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.
  2. Next cook your corn: remove the husks and hairs from your corn cobs, then rinse your cobs under water. Place your corn cob on a chopping board, standing up vertically. Using a sharp knife, carefully shave down to remove the corn kernels from the cob. Place the kernels in a bowl on the scales to be weighed (remembering to zero your scale after placing the bowl on top and before adding the corn). Repeat with the remaining corn cobs. Place a large pan over medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Flick some drops of water onto the pan to check if it's hot (if the water dances on the pan, it's ready). Add your corn and crushed garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and the corn begins to turn a vibrant, rich yellow colour. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  3. To form the fritter mixture: along with the corn/garlic mixture add the 1 cup cooked quinoa. Beat the egg in a cup with a fork then add to the mixing bowl. Next add the flour, baking powder (ensure there are no lumps in the baking powder), cumin, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir ingredients together until a wet mixture is formed.
  4. To cook the fritter: heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil over low-medium heat. Moisten your hands with water then grab a portion of the mixture (about a heaped tablespoon) and form into a pattie shape. It will be hard to corn and some corn kernels will slip out, but squish it together and do your best to form a pattie shape. They don't need to be flat and don't worry, they will bind together and hold, trust me - a few loose kernels breaking away is fine. Pop the fritters into a hot pan one at a time (you will most likely need to do two batches, I cooked five fritters at a time). Cook on one side for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown, then flip the fritters (be confident, don't fuss with them too much or they may break). Cook for a further 5-6 minutes (or until adequately golden). I then like to flip mine back once more and cook on the original side for a further minute. Remove from the pan when cooked. If cooking a second batch with remaining mixture, heat an extra teaspoon olive oil and cook your remaining fritters as per your first batch.
  5. Serve: alongside poached eggs and bacon at breakfast, as part of a salad at lunch, as an appetiser with some sweet chilli dipping sauce or alongside grilled meat or chicken and a big salad at dinner. And always garnish with extra parsley.