Smoked mackerel and sweetcorn fritter sandwich
If you are looking to eat more oily fish, whip up these simple crispy mackerel fritters and serve them warm in a sandwich topped with a Japanese mayo dressing. The fish and sweetcorn are a great combination and make a great recipe for working from home lunches.
Ingredients
For the batter
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú self-raising flour
- 25g/1oz cornflour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 105ml/3½fl oz cold sparkling water
For the sandwich
- 120²µ/4¼´Ç³ú smoked mackerel flakes
- 165g tin sweetcorn, drained
- 100–150ml/3½–5 fl oz vegetable oil, for shallow frying
- 3 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
- squeeze lemon juice
- 4 slices soft white bread, buttered
- handful shredded iceberg lettuce, to serve
Method
To make the batter, place the two flours and salt in a large bowl and add the sparkling water. Whisk until smooth. The consistency should be like single cream.
Add the mackerel and sweetcorn to the batter. Mix well.
Heat 1cm/½in depth of vegetable oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Drop a small amount of the batter in. If it sizzles straightaway, the oil is ready.
Spoon a heaped dessertspoon of the mackerel mixture into the pan and slightly flatten with the spoon. Repeat with another one or two heaped dessertspoon of the mackerel mixture, depending on the size of the pan (do not overcrowd the pan). Fry the fritters on one side for 2 minutes then flip over. Continue to flip from time to time to ensure even crispiness. Be aware that some of the sweetcorn might burst during the cooking process, This is more likely if the oil gets too hot, so reduce the heat a little if needed. As a precaution, you can cover your pan with a sieve which will prevent any sweetcorn jumping out of the pan.
Transfer the fritters to a wire rack lined with kitchen paper underneath. Repeat with the rest of the mackerel mixture, you should get about eight small fritters in total.
To serve, mix the mayonnaise with the lemon juice in a small bowl and spread half on one slice of bread. Top with half of the fritters followed by half of the shredded lettuce and finish with another slice of bread. Repeat to create the other sandwich. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve.