Scottish Tapas

My favourite sort of lunch at home is what my Mum would call ‘little bowls of this and that’. The rest of us call it a Wolffe Lunch. The table groans with plates of this and bowls of that, with things to nibble and with salads you want to pile onto your plate. The worry is always that the thing you’ve got your eye on will be passed round the table the OTHER WAY and there will be hardly any left by the time it gets to you. No need to worry though, there is always plenty.

I’ve adapted the Wolffe Lunch, of course. And this weekend it has included homemade baps, beetroot and orange salad, warm chilli sweetcorn fritters, prawns in chilli lime dressing, tabbouleh (with fresh herbs from the garden), a cheese board, dressed crab, homemade mayonnaise, salad leaves from the garden, and cucumber from the greenhouse. I never knew that cucumbers tasted like that, always thought they were like watered down versions of a flavour – but this was sweet and aromatic in a most surprising way.

So, what do you want first? The fritters? OK then, here we go.

The chilli sweetcorn fritters were entirely inspired by finding a half can of sweetcorn in the fridge. And the purchase of this month’s Olive magazine.

Chilli sweetcorn fritters with prawns

• 100g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarb of soda
• 1 duck egg or 1 egg, plus a yolk
• 80ml milk
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped nice and fine
• 100g or so of sweetcorn (about half a small tin)
• sunflower or rapeseed oil for frying
• 200g prawns
• 1 red chilli, sliced fine
• spring onions, sliced fine
• juice of 1 lime and lime wedges to serve

1. Put the prawns in a bowl, and sprinkle over the chilli, the spring onion slices and the lime juice. Set aside while you make the fritters
2. Sift the flour, soda and a pinch of salt into a big bowl
3. Make a well in the centre and add the egg, yolk and milk
4. Beat with a wooden spoon, or balloon whisk till you have a smooth and thick batter
5. Add the sweetcorn and chilli
6. Heat oil in a frying pan on a medium heat
7. Spoon tablespoons of batter into the pan and fry for a minute or so till you see bubbles on the surface. Turn over and cook for another minute or so, till golden, puffed and cooked through
8. Drain on kitchen paper.

Tags: Chili pepper, Garlic, Prawn, quick supper, recipe, salad, street party, sweetcorn, valentines day meal, vegetarian