Christmas Sweet Corn Fritters with Colombian Coastal Cheese and Spiced Orange

Instructions

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   1. Place the sweet corn kernels in a blender or food processor with the whole milk and blend until thick but still slightly textured. Set aside.

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   2. In a large bowl, combine the cassava starch, pre-cooked yellow cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt.

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   3. Add the finely grated Colombian coastal cheese, orange zest, eggs, melted butter, and the blended corn-and-milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix with a spoon or spatula until you have a moist, soft, shapeable dough. If it feels too dry, add 1 extra tablespoon of milk; if too loose, add 1 extra tablespoon of cassava starch.

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   4. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes so the starch can hydrate and the mixture can firm up.

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   5. Meanwhile, pour the vegetable oil into a deep pot and heat it to 340 °F / 170 °C. Keep the temperature between 338 and 347 °F / 170 and 175 °C so the fritters cook through without burning outside.

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   6. With lightly oiled hands, shape the dough into balls of about 35 to 40 g each, pressing them gently so they are compact and smooth, without deep cracks.

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   7. Fry the fritters in small batches, without overcrowding the pot, for 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Move them gently with a skimmer so they rotate and brown evenly. They should puff up and turn deep golden.

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   8. Remove the fritters and drain them on a rack or paper towels. If you want to keep them warm while finishing the batches, place them on a tray in a 200 °F / 95 °C oven for up to 10 minutes.

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   9. Serve warm to enjoy the contrast of the crisp crust, tender center, salty cheese notes, and the holiday aroma of orange, cinnamon, and clove.