Hush Puppies
Makes about 24 small ones.
These Hush puppies are just a bit lighter in texture than the more dense ones and have a little bit of a kick. Betcha can’t eat just one!
1/2 c yellow Corn meal.
1/2 c AP Flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Corn Starch
1/8 tsp Baking Soda.
1/8 tsp Italian Season
1/4 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp Salt (you may want a little more but you have to be the judge of that)
1/8 tsp Pepper
1 clove garlic minced
1 scallion chopped.
1/2 small Serrano Pepper minced
1 Small Costco sweet Red, Yellow or Orange Pepper minced.
1/4 c grated Co Jack Cheese
2 Tbsp melted butter and
1 Tbsp Bacon Grease or Butter melted (I use both combined)
1/3 c Buttermilk.
1 egg beaten
Canola Oil for frying.
#8 size Cast Iron Frying Pan (or Chicken Fryer pan.)
Using a 2 c microwave safe Bowl, add the Bacon grease and Butter together and melt, about 30-45 seconds. Let cool while you mix all of the dry ingredients together in a 4-6 cup bowl.
After the dry ingredients are mixed, take the melted Butter and Bacon Grease, add the Buttermilk and beaten egg by pouring slowly and in a circular motion, without stirring for a few seconds . You will see that the Butter is starting to thicken, swirl a fork around in it to mix it all together but dont whisk it , you want some lumps of Butter to mix in with the flour. Next add the Garlic, Scallion, Peppers and Cheese to the Dry ingredients and mix well.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and all at once, pour the wet Ingredients into the well and mix with the fork to incorporate all the flour into what is now the Hush Puppy Batter. It will be like drop Biscuits. Mix well but only just a little more than after all the Flour is absorbed…and don’t beat it or over mix it or it will not fluff up like it should while frying.
Pour some Oil into the cast Iron Frying Pan and heat to 350°- 360°. I don’t want a bunch hanging around afterwards, so I only add enough to be about 1 1/2 “ deep. Use a thermometer to check the oil, then when it’s ready, get a drop of oil on your fingers and using the spoon, scoop out a little bit more than a rounded tsp full of the Batter. Take a drop of oil on your finger and rub your fingers and form the batter into a Ball about the size of a Pecan but round..smaller than a golf ball.
Carefully drop the Hush Puppy ball down into the Grease, and repeat until you have about 12 scattered around. After a minute, carefully move them so they aren’t sticking to the bottom and then after about 3-4 minutes, check one for nice and golden brown doneness on the underside. using a slotted spoon, carefully turn them over in the same order that you put them in. Remove them onto a draining rack and sprinkle with salt if you like. Repeat the process with the rest of the Batter.
Taste one! careful, they are fresh and hot. I gave my husband one and he snuck 3 more before I could stop him? before the Catfish was cooked.
Check here for my Fish Fry Recipe.
Fish Fry Mix
