Shrimp & Corn Fritters

I'm a big fan of Shrimp & Grits and my love for the flavors got me thinking about how to enjoy shrimp and corn in other ways. Fritters sounded like a great option! I mean, who doesn't love a fritter?! Shrimp & Corn Fritters can be a great lunch and certainly are an amazing appetizer with the accompanying lemon sour cream.

These Shrimp & Corn Fritters are full of flavor! Of course, the shrimp and corn and delicious, but there's also bacon, scallions, jalapenos, and cheddar cheese to round out the experience.

Fresh corn is the best option!

The best time of year to enjoy this dish is when corn is at its freshest, of course. Cut if off the cob for the most delicious taste! The best way to cut the corn off the cob is to use a wide shallow bowl and apply slow cuts down the cob with a chef's knife. The faster you go, the more mess you make! Be sure to go back and cut down the "corners" in between each slow slice you make so that you get as much of the corn and flavor as possible.

How to prepare the shrimp

You can purchase frozen shrimp, of course, but if you can get fresh, wild shrimp, take that option! Pull the tail off, then put your thumb between the legs and pull off the rest of the shell. Use a small paring knife to cut down the back of the shrimp, put the tip of the knife under the vein, and pull it out. This is not the most pleasant part of preparing shrimp, but it is highly necessary!

For the fritters, you want to cut the shrimp coarsely. I usually cut slices, then cut those in half. The pieces are still somewhat large, but they will be greatly appreciated in your fritters!

Let's talk a little about the jalapeno

The recipe calls for ONE jalapeno. That's all. Just one. And the one I had this time was HUGE! And the final result was NOT spicy. However, only use a half of one, if you want, or use three! You just make it what you want it to be, OK?

What are the binding agents for the Shrimp & Corn Fritter?

Corn flour, some spices, an egg, and some buttermilk. I like to keep things simple.

Be sure to use corn FLOUR and not corn MEAL. Corn meal will be too grainy and will not help with the binding. If you only have corn meal and it is a fine grind, add about ¼ cup of flour (can be a gluten-free blend). Another option is to put your corn meal in your blender or spice grinder and pulverize it further. Where there's a will, there's a way!

How about the spices? I use granulated garlic, salt, pepper, and aleppo pepper. You can substitute paprika for the aleppo pepper. Smoked paprika is the option that I would choose.

Mix all the binding agents together, then mix in the shrimp, corn, jalapenos, scallions, cheese, and bacon.

Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat (totally depends on your stove!), then put about a quarter cup of the fritter mixture in for each fritter. Flatten and let it fry till it is golden brown. Flip it carefully and do the same on the other side. Should only take 3-4 minutes each side.

How to serve Shrimp & Corn Fritters

I think these are best served as an appetizer with lemon sour cream accompanying. They would be an elegant start to any party or dinner. You could make them smaller if you were serving them as an hors d'oeuvre.

However, they make a brilliant girlfriends' lunch, too, with a salad and glass of crisp chardonnay or sauvignon blanc.