Legend has it that not long after the War Between the States, Southern cooks would quiet yapping dogs at fish fries by tossing them scraps of batter and yelling, “Hush, puppies!” Whatever the origin of the term, it’s for sure that fried hush puppies are one of the great breads of the South. No fish fry, barbecue, seafood boil, or Brunswick stew party would be complete without them.
Makes about 40 hush puppies
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 11⁄2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄4 cup finely minced onions
- 2 1⁄3 cups whole milk
- 1⁄3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Corn or vegetable oil for deep frying
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Into a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and mix to blend thoroughly. Add the onions, milk, vegetable oil, and egg, and stir with a wooden spoon just enough to blend well.
- In a deep-fat fryer or deep cast-iron skillet, heat about 3 inches of oil to 375°F on a thermometer. Drop the batter in batches by tablespoon into the hot oil and fry until the hush puppies are golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain briefly on paper towels and serve immediately in a covered bread basket.
