Classic Hush Puppies

Hush puppies are something I have always enjoyed when dining at a seafood restaurant. It is a small pleasure for me since I am not overly crazy about seafood. The sweet deeply fried corn and flour mixture appear very simple. So why have I not attempted to making these at home? Crab cakes were on the menu so I decide it was time to go ahead and give it a try. I already had the self-rising flour and cornmeal on hand.

I first searched Joy of Cooking and found a basic recipe. Additional research found minor variations but the main ingredients stayed the same. I like mine sweet perhaps adding some honey once cooked so instead of a yellow onion I decided on sweet onion.

The first time I made these was with oil in a cast iron pan. It worked but keeping the temperature correct was challenging. It also is a huge waste of oil unless you will filter it and save it. The second time around I decided to try it with the deep fryer and this worked perfectly. They all had a uniform texture. The one downside was making sure to shake them around enough to make sure all sides were browned evenly. Enjoy these with your next crab cake sandwich or fish fry. I will be eating them with anything I want; maybe roast beef 🙂

Recipe

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup white sugar
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup self-rising cornmeal

1 quart oil for frying or deep fryer

Directions

In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs and then mix together with the sugar and onion. Blend in flour and cornmeal.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a cast iron pan or a deep fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Drop batter by rounded teaspoonfuls in hot oil, and fry until golden brown. I used a small cookie scoop. Cook in small batches to maintain oil temperature. Drain briefly on paper towels. Serve hot.