A Taste Of The South – Hush Puppies

If you’ve never tried making nor eating hush puppies, now is the time you can change all that!

Hush puppies are an iconic southern food. They are served and eaten from high end eateries to little gas station road side stands all over the South. Sometimes they are sweet, sometimes spicy with the addition of minced chiles. But they are loved wherever and however they are served.

As a note of interest no one is sure how they got their name but legend has it that fisherman, frying up their fish with their dogs lingering near by, barking and waiting for some food, used to fry up little bits of cornbread batter and throw it to the dogs yelling “Hush puppy”

They are a simple food that is simply delicious. Spread them with butter and a little honey, or some maple syrup and they are addictive. Equally at home with fried chicken, fish, red beans and rice, BBQ, eggs and bacon, or even a salad supper. Almost any meal would be heightened with the addition of some hush puppies. Do yourself and your family a favor and give these a try soon!

Classic Southern Hush Puppies
(Makes about 2 1/2 dozen)

Hush puppies are similar to corn fritters or mini corn donut holes. They are light and naturally slightly sweet because of the corn and they just seem to melt in your mouth. DELICIOUS!

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup flour*
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small finely chopped onion
1 cup buttermilk**
1 beaten egg
Oil for frying (approximately 6 cups of oil)

(For spicy hush puppies add a minced serrano or jalapeño pepper. For sweeter hush puppies add 2-3 tablespoons of sugar to the dry ingredients)

Heat oil in a deep fryer or a deep heavy bottomed pan (cast iron works especially well) until the oil reaches 350-375 degrees.

While the oil is heating, mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in the chopped onion. In a small bowl whisk together the buttermilk and egg and stir into the dry ingredients until blended.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, flipping each hush puppy to get it browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Serve right away plain or with butter and honey, or maple syrup. Yum!!!

*You can substitute gluten free all purpose flour to make you hush puppies gluten free. You may need to add a tablespoon or two of buttermilk if you use gluten free flour as it tends to absorb more liquid and create a drier dough.

** To make your hush puppies dairy free use a scant cup of almond milk and add about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to bring the liquid to 1 cup.