Sweet Corn Fritters with a Spicy Aioli

Memorial Day weekend, five weeks until August, and I grilled ribs the way I always do and the yard filled up the way it always does and I stood at the grill in the late afternoon and thought: this is exactly the same and completely different. The ribs are the same. The dry rub is the same. The neighborhood noise is the same. The yard is the same. But in five weeks there will be a person named Caleb Marcus Simms in this world and the next Memorial Day this yard will have a different noise in it, which is a baby's noise, which I have not heard in this yard since CJ was small and Marcus put him on his shoulders in the late afternoon light and walked the length of the yard like he was showing CJ the whole world.

Destiny and Travis came. Sister Odalys came. Kezia came with her grandmother, who has been coming to the back porch gatherings since the spring and who I find I like very much — a quiet woman named Clara who makes a peach cobbler that is the best I have had outside of my own, which is a very high threshold and she clears it. We compared notes this weekend. Her cobbler has a drop biscuit topping; mine has a rolled crust. We agreed that both were correct and that any peach cobbler made with good peaches in season was essentially correct, which is the most ecumenical position available and the one I always take about peaches.

Five weeks. The freezer is full. The nursery is done (CJ sent photographs). The name is decided. The table is set. The only remaining thing is Caleb, and Caleb is coming on his own schedule, as babies always do.

Clara’s cobbler was the dessert, and the ribs were the centerpiece, but what I kept thinking about afterward — the thing that kept the afternoon feeling abundant and unhurried — was having something good to pass around while the grill was still doing its work and people were still finding their seats. Sweet corn fritters are exactly that: something golden and a little crispy that you can hand to Kezia’s grandmother or Sister Odalys or anyone who wanders into the yard before the main event is ready, and the spicy aioli gives it just enough edge to feel like you meant it. Five weeks of waiting calls for a full table, and this earns its place on it.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the fritters:
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 large eggs, beaten
1/3 cup whole milk
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2–3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable), for frying
For the spicy aioli:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sriracha (more to taste)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, finely minced or grated
Pinch of smoked paprika

Instructions

Make the aioli. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sriracha, lemon juice, minced garlic, and smoked paprika in a small bowl until smooth. Taste and adjust heat with additional sriracha as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Mix the batter. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the beaten eggs and milk and stir until a thick batter forms. Fold in the corn kernels, green onions, and shredded cheddar.
Heat the oil. Heat a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium heat and add enough oil to coat the bottom generously, about 2 tablespoons. Allow the oil to come to a shimmer before adding batter.
Fry the fritters. Drop heaping spoonfuls of batter (about 3 tablespoons each) into the hot oil, gently pressing each one flat. Cook in batches, 3–4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown and cooked through. Do not crowd the pan. Transfer finished fritters to a paper towel–lined plate.
Add oil as needed. Between batches, add a small drizzle of oil to the pan and let it heat before continuing. Adjust heat down slightly if the fritters are browning too fast.
Serve. Arrange fritters on a platter and serve warm alongside the spicy aioli for dipping. Garnish with extra sliced green onions if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Sweet Corn Fritters with a Spicy Aioli — Something to Bring to the Table While We Wait for Caleb