Kitchen InFerno: Spring Break Inspired, Corn Cakes & Citrus Salsa

Healthy eating and college don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand, but knowing the right tricks can help turn eating right into a daily routine. Let Kiersten Ferno be your guide for navigating the health-food scene without taking a chunk out of your schedule. Welcome to the inFerno.

Over spring break, I had to make a pit stop at one of my favorite restaurants – The Cheesecake Factory. I know, the portions are ridiculous, but the food never fails to tingle my taste buds. Plus, Chris’s Outrageous Cheesecake sends me to foodie heaven every time!

Besides the incredible Thai lettuce-wrap appetizer, I also get a kick from the super rich corn fritters. So, I thought we should do our own Kitchen InFerno spin on the dish!

These cakes are super filling, and packed with sweetness from
corn, protein from black beans, and a punch of cayenne. Top them off with some cool sour cream and fresh citrus salsa, and I guarantee you’ll be coming back for more! Take that, Cheesecake Factory!

What you’ll need:

Makes 10 small cakes OR 6 medium-sized patties

2 ½ cups corn (buy the frozen kind and just defrost it in the microwave for about 2 mins!)
1 cup black beans (Rinse the beans off before mixing – we don’t want soupy fritters!)
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup green scallions
2 egg yolks
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Salsa:

1 mango
½ cup grape tomatoes
1 teaspoon minced cilantro
juice of one lime
sour cream
pinch salt

What to do: (fritters)

1.  Mince scallions and separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. (The easiest way to do this is to crack one like you would before scrambling it, pull apart the shell and dump the egg into your palm. Wiggle your fingers and the egg white will drain right through into the sink!)

2. In a large mixing bowl, use your hands to mix the corn, black beans, flour, scallions, egg yolks, salt, cayenne, paprika, black pepper, and olive oil. (Careful not to turn it into mush! Make sure the egg yolks and flour are evenly distributed as well!)

3. Spoon preferred-size fritters onto George Foreman grill or Panini maker. Cook for 4 minutes or until golden brown on top.

What to do: (salsa)

1. Mince mango, tomatoes, and cilantro. Mix in small serving bowl and sprinkle with salt.
2. Cut lime in half, squeeze juice into mixture and stir. (In order to get more juice out of your lime, roll it before slicing!)
3. Serve fritters with a dollop of sour cream and generous sprinkle of salsa!

Tip from inside the InFerno: Even if you don’t have a grill or Panini maker, these fritters can easily be made in a pan on the stove! Just drizzle your pan with a little olive oil or butter, spoon fritters into pan, and cook on medium heat. Each side should only take a few minutes and you’ll be good to go!