Buñuelos de Maiz

Recently I posted a recipe for loukoumades, a fritter from Greece.  Now I have a similar recipe but this one is for Buñuelos de Maiz and is from Cuba.  Buñuelos (alternatively spelled bimuelos, birmuelos, bermuelos, burmuelos, bunyols, bonuelos) are fritters of Spanish origin. They are a popular snack in many Latin American countries, the Philippines, Turkey, Greece, Morocco, and are a tradition at Christmas, Ramadan and among Sephardic Jews at Hanukkah. They will usually have a filling or a topping. They are also an "essential" dish in Mexican cuisine.

Buñuelos "most likely originated with Sephardic Jews or Arabs", and "when these groups were forced out of Spain during the Spanish Inquisition, they took the dish to their new homelands."  Buñuelos typically consist of a simple, wheat-based yeast dough, often flavored with anise, that is thinly rolled, cut or shaped into individual pieces, then fried and finished off with a sweet topping. Buñuelos may be filled with a variety of things, ranging from cheese to yams. They can be round in ball shapes or disc shaped.

This recipe, courtesy of Fine Cooking, is for the Cuban version and is made with sweet corn, thus the name, Buñuelos de Maiz. I hope you enjoy.

Buñuelos de Maiz

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh corn kernels or thawed frozen corn
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 to 2 Tbsp milk, only if needed
• Vegetable oil for frying

Directions

1. In a food processor, process the corn kernels into a coarse purée; set aside.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Add the eggs and the corn purée; stir to combine well. The batter should be quite thick; add more flour if it looks too loose or a bit of milk if too thick.
3. Lightly cover the batter and set aside for 15 to 30 minutes. (This will make the fritters fluffier.)
4. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large, deep-sided skillet (preferably cast iron) to 350°F over medium heat.
5. Drop the batter by the tablespoon into the oil; don’t crowd the pan. Fry the fritters, turning them until golden on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.