A Family Affair • Trisha

or Trisha Yearwood, food and family have always gone F hand in hand. The country music star’s cookbooks and show, Trisha’s Southern Kitchen, are filled with heirloom recipes—and tributes to the loved ones who passed them down. Her fourth book, which she wrote with the help of her sister Beth, is no exception: Trisha’s Kitchen includes plenty of prized family recipes, like her grandma Lizzie’s skyhigh biscuits and her dad’s fried pies, but also some new ones, like these rice-and-corn fritters. Trisha’s husband Garth Brooks loves rice, so she came up with these as a smart use for leftovers. “They make the perfect snack or side,” she says. —Francesca Cocchi

CRISPY RICE CORN FRITTERS

ACTIVE: 30 min l TOTAL: 30 min l MAKES: 12

2 cups cooked white rice, cooled or cold 4 green onions, sliced into ¼-inch rounds 1 cup fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed if frozen 4 ounces cheddar cheese, grated (1 cup) 3 tablespoons diced pimentos, drained 12 large basil leaves, sliced into thin ribbons 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Vegetable oil, for frying Sour cream or Green Goddess Dip (see right), for serving 1½ cups fresh parsley leaves 1 cup fresh mint leaves ½ cup fresh basil leaves 1 bunch chives, chopped (about ¼ cup) ½ cup sour cream ¼ cup mayonnaise Zest and juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons juice) 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more if needed

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the rice, green onions, corn, cheddar, pimentos and basil. In another medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, paprika, salt and pepper, then pour over the rice mixture and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, fill a large cast-iron skillet with ¼ inch of oil and heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set it nearby. 3. Scoop ¼ cup of the rice mixture, pressing it down lightly in the measuring cup, then turn it out into the hot oil and lightly flatten it. (You can cook 3 or 4 at a time, depending on the size of your skillet.) Fry for 1½ to 2 minutes, until browned underneath. Take care to not move the fritters around after you first add them to the pan so they stay intact while they cook. Gently flip the fritters and cook for another 2 to 2½ minutes. Transfer to the paper towel–lined baking sheet to drain and sprinkle with a bit of salt while warm. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or with the Green Goddess Dip. In a food processor, combine the parsley, mint, basil, chives, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, cream cheese, salt and pepper and process for 3 minutes, stopping and scraping down the sides to make sure all the ingredients are fully incorporated. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a bowl.

Leftover rice is perfect for this recipe because it’s a little sticky the next day, so it helps form the fritters.

GREEN GODDESS DIP

SERVES: 4 to 6

Find more comforting dishes in Trisha’s Kitchen ($30, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).