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Millie Peartree's Hush Puppies

Hush Puppies

byMillie Peartree
Total 35 mins, includes cooling time
Active 35 mins
Makes 2 to 4 servings (Makes about 11 hush puppies)
You can’t have soul food without sides, so I’m going to show you how to make some crowd-pleasing hush puppies. Hush puppies are slightly sweetened cornmeal dough balls that are deep fried until golden and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. And trust me, make way more than you think, they will go quickly!
Special Equipment
a 1.5-ounce scoop, large Dutch oven, and deep-fry or candy thermometer
Special Equipment
a 1.5-ounce scoop, large Dutch oven, and deep-fry or candy thermometer
Ingredients
  • 1 cup medium-grind yellow cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup minced white or yellow onions
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Whipped Honey Butter or Spicy Aioli, for serving (recipes follow)
    Whipped Honey Butter
    • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 3 tablespoons honey
    • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
      Spicy Aioli
      • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
      • 1/4 cup sour cream
      • Pinch of onion powder
      • Pinch of paprika
      • Pinch of kosher salt
      • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
      • 1 to 2 dashes your favorite hot sauce
        Directions
        1. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Set aside.
        2. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
        3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, butter, and 1/4 cup of the buttermilk.
        4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients in the large bowl, and slowly whisk in the wet ingredients until a smooth batter is formed. Whisk in up to 1/4 cup more of buttermilk until the consistency is slightly thicker than pancake batter. Fold in the onions.
        5. Heat 2 inches of oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over high heat to 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer.
        6. Working in batches, use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop three or four 1/2-inch balls of the batter and carefully drop them in the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, turning them with a fork, spoon, or silicone spatula until golden brown, about 6 minutes.
        7. Transfer the hush puppies to the prepared wire rack or paper towels to drain off any excess oil. Sprinkle the hush puppies with salt while warm. Make sure to bring the oil temperature back up to 350°F before cooking your next batch of hush puppies. Repeat this process until all the batter is cooked.
        8. Serve the hush puppies with Whipped Honey Butter or aioli.
        1. Whipped Honey Butter
          1. Place the butter in a mixing bowl; beat with a fork or electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the honey and salt; beat until combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula and beat again until perfectly light and fluffy.
          2. Spoon into a ramekin or 4-ounce glass jar.
        1. Spicy Aioli
          1. In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion powder, paprika, salt, and parsley. Add the hot sauce and stir to combine. Transfer the spicy aioli to a small serving bowl or ramekin and you’re ready for dipping!