HUSH PUPPIES

When you're in a restaurant in the south and you order fried fish or BBQ, you usually get a side order of hush puppies. They are so easy to make at home. Ideally you need a deep fryer but you can make them in a cast-iron pot with about 3 inches of peanut oil. You can omit the minced jalapeño pepper but It adds an extra kick to the little puppies!

1 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal

¾ cup corn flour
1 t baking powder

½ t baking soda

½ t sea salt

½ t finely ground black pepper

2 T granulated sugar

1 large egg, beaten

1 cup buttermilk

1 T unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup minced onion

1 small jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and minced (optional)

Peanut oil, for frying

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Mix egg, buttermilk, melted butter, and minced onion in a smaller bowl, then pour into the dry ingredients.

Mix together with a wooden spoon.

Cover and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes while heating the oil.

Heat about 3 inches of oil in a deep cast iron skillet or fill a deep-fryer with oil and heat oil to about 365 degrees F.

Drop batter into hot oil with a small ice cream scoop, which works perfectly or with a generous teaspoon full.

Cook in batches until they are medium golden brown, usually about 3 to 4 minutes. 
Don't overcrowd the pot or they will stick together.

Place on a paper towel lined baking sheet or a rack fitted in the baking sheet and keep warm in a 225 degree F oven while cooking the rest of the hush puppies.

Serve them hot and as soon as possible.