Why it works: Corn and pepper are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,324 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Corn Fritters
Ingredients
Directions
Make the batter
In a bowl, combine the grated corn, egg yolks, and cracker crumbs.
If the corn is not juicy, add just enough water to make a batter that will drop from a spoon.
Season the mixture with salt and pepper, then fold in the beaten egg whites.
Fry and serve
Using a teaspoon, drop spoonfuls of the batter into hot oil and fry until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels and serve hot, using a doily or napkin under the fritters.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Corn + peppertop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,324 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
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Corn + eggtop 26% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together7,484 recipes
Shared aroma: (e)-2-octenal (fatty, green).
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Egg + peppertop 33% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together50,580 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Egg and pepper barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 50,580 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Grated sweet corn
- Provides the main bulk, sweetness and flavor of the fritters.
- Egg yolks
- Add richness and help bind the batter together.
- Cracker crumbs
- Absorb moisture and help the batter hold its shape.
- Egg whites
- Whipped and folded in, they lighten the batter and add airiness.
The step that matters
Folding in the beaten egg whites. Whipped whites trap air that lightens the batter. Folding gently keeps that air in, so the fritters stay tender rather than dense.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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