Hot corncakes with avocado, bacon & basil

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims only
Corncakes like these are classic brunch food in Australia. They’re also delicious made with shredded chicken and lots of coriander

Prep:10 mins
Cook:10 mins

Serves 4
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 420
fat 19g
saturates 40.2g
carbs 49g
sugars 16g
fibre 4g
protein 16g
salt 2.49g

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 red pepper, diced
1 fresh red or green chilli, deseeded and chopped
50g self-raising flour
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp milk
2 x 330g sweetcorn nibblets, drained
handful basil leaves, chopped, plus extra to serve
8 rashers back or streaky bacon
juice 1?2 lemon
1 or 2 avocados, peeled, stoned and sliced

Tip

Fresh chillies
More exotic chillies are reaching our shelves, such as Caribbean Scotch Bonnets and tiny Thai bird’s-eye chillies. To test the heat of a chilli, slice it, touch the chilli with your finger, then touch the tip of your tongue. The smaller the chilli, the hotter it will be. Remove the seeds and pith with a teaspoon before slicing – these are packed with capsaicin, the compound that gives chillies their fire.

Method

Heat grill to high. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large non-stick frying pan and sizzle the pepper for 5 mins until softened, adding the chilli for the final min.
Put the flour into a large bowl, make a well, then stir in the egg and then the milk to make a batter. Stir in the corn, cooked pepper and chilli and chopped basil, then season well. Add more oil to the pan if you need to, then drop tbsps of the batter into the pan.
Cook for 2 mins until risen and golden underneath, then cook for 1 min more. You’ll need to do these in batches, making 12 in total. Keep warm.
Meanwhile, grill the bacon and mix the lemon juice and remaining oil together with seasoning. Serve 3 cakes each, topped with the avocado, bacon, a scattering of basil leaves and a drizzle of the dressing.