Best Bacon Scallion Hush Puppies Recipe Epicuriouscom Recipes

HUSHPUPPIES

Steps:

• Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper in a large bowl to combine. Add butter and work in with a pastry blender or your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal (the largest butter pieces should be no bigger than a pea).
• Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add egg and buttermilk to well. Gradually incorporate into dry ingredients, mixing from the center out, until a smooth batter forms. Add onion and jalapeño and mix gently just to evenly disperse (be careful not to overmix).
• Pour oil into a large heavy saucepan to come halfway up sides and fit with thermometer. Heat oil over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°F. Using a 1-oz. scoop or a tablespoon and working in 2-3 batches, carefully drop balls of batter into oil and fry, turning often with a spider or a slotted spoon and adjusting heat to maintain temperature, until hushpuppies are puffed and deep golden all over, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and let cool slightly.
• Serve warm hushpuppies with tartar sauce alongside for dipping.
• Batter can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Scoop cold batter directly into hot oil and fry.

SOUTHERN FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Whisk together egg, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Pulse saltines in a food processor until finely ground, then stir together with cayenne and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a shallow baking dish.
• Dip 1 catfish fillet into egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then dredge in saltines to coat and transfer to a wax-paper-lined tray. Coat remaining fillets in same manner.
• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot (preferably cast-iron) over high heat until it registers 360°F on thermometer. Carefully lower 1 fillet into oil (temperature of oil will drop to 340°F), then fry until golden and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer fillet with a slotted spatula to a rack set over paper towels to drain briefly, then transfer to a shallow baking pan and keep hot in oven. Fry remaining fillets in same manner, returning oil to 360°F each time.

CAST IRON HUSH PUPPIES

Steps:

• Combine onion, jalapeno, scallions and parsley in a food processor or blender, and pulse to a rough puree.
• Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, thyme and cayenne in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and egg. Add the vegetable puree and stir to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. For best results, refrigerate the batter for at least 30 minutes before frying.
• Heat 3 inches of oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot (preferably cast iron) over high heat until it reaches 350 degrees. Carefully add the batter to the hot oil 1 heaping tablespoon at a time, working in batches of six; use another spoon to scrape the batter into the oil, keeping it in a ball shape.
• Fry, turning, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain briefly. Transfer the hush puppies to a shallow baking pan and keep hot in a 200-degree oven while frying remaining batter. Heat the oil back to 350 degrees between batches.

HUSH PUPPIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°F.
• Heat 1 1/2 inches oil in a 4-quart wide heavy pot over medium heat until it registers 375°F.
• Meanwhile, whisk together cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, onion, and egg in a small bowl. Slowly pour buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients, stirring until just incorporated.
• Fry rounded tablespoons of batter (about 10 per batch), turning occasionally, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Return oil to 375°F between batches. Keep hush puppies warm in oven.

BACON SCALLION HUSH PUPPIES

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until crisp. Transfer with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain, then crumble.
• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot (preferably cast-iron) over high heat until it registers 320°F on thermometer.
• While oil is heating, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Whisk together egg and milk in a small bowl, then add to cornmeal mixture and stir until combined. Stir in bacon and scallions until just combined.
• Working in batches of 6, carefully add 1 tablespoon of batter per hush puppy to hot oil and fry, turning, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain briefly. Transfer hush puppies to a shallow baking pan and keep hot in oven while frying remaining batter. Return oil to 320°F between batches.