Hush Puppy Southern Specialty
Hush Puppy Southern Specialty
What’s In a Name
Hush Puppies are finger-shaped dumplings of cornmeal that are deep-fried and traditionally served with fried catfish. They are also know as corn dodgers, and are very popular in the south. We fell in love with these cornmeal beauties on a trip to New Orleans. The oldest story or history goes something like this; Hush puppies originated in the settlement of Nouvell Orleans, later called New Orleans Louisiana shortly after 1727.
They were created by a group of Ursuline nuns who came from France. The nuns converted cornmeal into a delicious food that they named croquettes de maise. The making of these croquettes spread rapidly throughout the southern states. Personally, I like the story of the cook who gave a plate of croquettes to a howling puppy. One thing is for certain, they are super delicious.
Southern Specialty
This Southern specialty is a small cornmeal dumpling, flavored with chopped scallions, deep-fried and served hot. Hush puppies are a traditional accompaniment for fried catfish. Their name is said to have come from the fact that, to keep hungry dogs from begging for food while the rest of the dinner was being prepared, cooks used to toss scraps of the fried batter to the pets with the admonition, “Hush, puppy!”
In Stores
Even though hush puppies are super easy to make from scratch, you might want to buy a package for convenience. Where I live, here in Wisconsin, it’s not possible to purchase them in a grocery store. (at least I’ve never seen them for sale) When my daughter lived in Georgia, I remember seeing them for sale at Publix I do believe. They can be found in the frozen food section, located by the French fries and hash browns.
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Hush Puppies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- peanut oil for frying
Equipment
- Deep Fryer
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt and parsley in a large bowl. Stir together buttermilk and eggs in a medium bowl. Pour over dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Set aside to rest for one hour.
- Pour oil to depth of 2" in a large heavy-duty cast iron skillet or use a deep-fat fryer, following manufacturers directions. Heat over medium-high heat.
- Using a tablespoon, drop small rounds of batter into the hot oil, making sure not to crowd pan, cook flipping halfway through or until golden brown and crisp on the outside, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, drain on paper-towels. Season with salt.
Suggestions:
Serve with Beer Battered Haddock with Tarter Sauce , Pan Fried Perch and Beer Battered Smelt. For this recipe we used Quaker Cornmeal
Recent Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Chevre Stuffed Chicken Breast and Pfeffernuesse Cookies. Serve hush puppies, the southern classic with Provencal Salmon Fillets in Air Fryer for a real treat.