Hushpuppies
Stone-ground cornmeal batter, studded with diced onion, dropped by the spoonful into hot oil, traditionally the same oil used for frying fish. The name's popular origin stories (Confederate soldiers quieting hunting dogs, fried salamanders) are almost certainly invented tall tales rather than documented history; the more credible thread traces the dish to "Red Horse bread," a fried-cornmeal tradition created by Romeo Govan, a South Carolinian born into slavery, with the name "hushpuppies" recorded in Georgia by at least 1927.
Vegetarian
⚠ Contains: Egg, Dairy, Gluten. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Vegetable oil, for deep frying, ideally reused fish-fry oil
Steps
- Heat the oil to 350F/175C in a deep pot or fryer.
- Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in the diced onion.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg with the buttermilk. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined into a thick, scoopable batter.
- Drop the batter by rounded tablespoons into the hot oil, a few at a time, without crowding.
- Fry 2-3 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Serve hot, traditionally alongside fried fish or seafood.