Recipe: Bajan Corned Beef Fritters
Feb. 11, 2021
To celebrate Black History Month, try this recipe from faculty member Eleanor Gittens. She teaches in Georgian’s Honours Bachelor of Police Studies program. Always eager to share her culture and country, Eleanor spearheads a biennial trip to Barbados with specially chosen police degree students.
Ingredients:
- 1 tin of corned beef
- 1/2 Cup of water
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped (pepper sauce also works)
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 egg, whisked until fluffy
- 1/2 to 1 Cup of flour, depending on consistency
Method:
- Open the tin of corned beef and crush/mash the contents to a crumble in a large bowl, with a fork.
- Add the water to corned beef and mash again.
- Then add the scotch bonnet, ground black pepper, onion, and egg. Stir together the ingredients.
- Add a half cup of flour and stir with a large wooden spoon.
- Add more flour, little by little, until the mixture has a fairly stiff consistency. It should slide off the spoon, but not too easily.
- Heat the pan, with plenty of oil, to a medium to high temperature.
- Use a tablespoon to scoop the fritters. They don’t need to be perfect, but they can’t be too thin. Aim for two centimeters thick, per fritter.
- Lower the temperature to medium to ensure fritters cook through completely.
- Fry on both sides until golden brown.
About the use of corned beef
Corned beef is seen as an affordable, non-perishable food in Barbados. It’s a quick, low-effort comfort food that can be prepared for any meal of the day. This canned food is often cooked with rice, potatoes, cabbage or even in fritters. It is a fail-safe that islanders use when times are tough and is frequently thought of fondly.
Share your Black History Month recipe!
Do you have a great recipe? Send it to us at socialmedia@georgiancollege.ca or fill out our recipe form. We’d love to hear from you!
Eleanor Gittens became a professor in the Honours Bachelor of Police Studies degree program in 2014. She organizes a learning trip to Barbados for future police officers to give them an appreciation for other cultures and ethnicities, as well as first-hand experience of being a minority. This valuable learning opportunity takes place every two years. It’s open to third- and fourth-year police degree students.
Eleanor adapted this recipe from Loop Barbados.