Hush puppies are balls of deep-fried cornbread. These Southern delicacies are a tasty side for a fried chicken or fish-and-chips dinner. With a cookie scoop, you can make your own hush puppies at home. You may never look at cornbread the same way again. Be sure to prepare these right before serving, since, like all fried foods, they need to be eaten while they are still hot and fresh from the oil. This recipe will make about 12 hush puppies, depending upon the size of your cookie scoop.
Instructions
1. Place the pot on the stove. Fill it with 4 cups of oil.
2. Clip the thermometer to the side of the pot. The probe should reach inside the oil without touching the sides or bottom.
3. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 375 degrees F. Make the hush puppy batter while the oil is heating.
4. Combine the cornmeal, flour, salt and baking soda in a mixing bowl until thoroughly mixed. These are the dry ingredients.
5. Mix the egg into the dry ingredients.
6. Mix the buttermilk into the batter by adding it in thirds, mixing after each addition. The batter should be stiff like a sticky bread dough.
If it is too moist, add more cornmeal one spoon at a time. If it is too dry, add a spoonful of buttermilk or water until the proper consistency is reached.
7. Use the cookie scoop to scoop out some of the hush puppy batter. Drop it into the hot oil. The hush puppies will immediately sink to the bottom of the oil, but as they cook, they will rise to the top. You can fry up to three at a time.
8. Fry the hush puppies in the oil at 375 degrees F for 5 minutes or until golden brown on all sides. You will have to turn them in the pot as they cook.
9. Remove the cooked hush puppies from the hot oil and transfer to the paper towel- or newspaper-lined cooling rack. Repeat Steps 8 and 9 with the remaining batter. Serve hot or warm as a snack or side dish.
Tags: cookie scoop, hush puppies, hush puppies, hush puppy, hush puppy batter, puppy batter