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1
If you dont intend to serve the hush puppies virtually straight from the stove, preheat the oven to 200F.
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2
Combine the dry ingredients thoroughly in a medium bowl.
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3
Beat together the eggs and buttermilk in a small bowl.
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4
Stir this into the dry ingredients to make a batter thick enough to mound on the end of a teaspoon.
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5
Stir in the onion.
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6
As is almost always the case with cornbreads, dont overbeat the batter or youll toughen the hush puppies.
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7
Pour the oil into a large skillet to reach a depth of 1 to 1 1/2 inches, depending on the depth of your skillet.
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8
Place the skillet over medium-high heat.
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9
When the oil is hot enough to fry in (365F on a thermometer, or test with a drop of batter, which should sizzle immediately and start to brown), drop the batter in by small rounded teaspoonfuls, using a second teaspoon to scrape off the batter into the fat.
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10
Working in batches, fry 5 or 6 hush puppies at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the skillet.
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11
Fry until the balls are golden brown on their underneath sides, 45 seconds to 1 minute.
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12
Then turn them with a slotted spoon and continue cooking until the other side is nice and golden, too, 30 to 40 seconds more.
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13
Either transfer to a serving dish, blot with paper towels, and serve posthaste, or line a baking sheet with paper towels (or, traditionally, torn-open brown paper grocery sacks) and scoop the finished hush puppies from the fat onto the paper-lined sheet.
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14
Transfer them to the preheated oven to keep them warm, and begin frying the next batch.
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15
Variations:
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16
Sweet Milk Hush Puppies
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17
A milk batter has slightly less tang and tenderness than one made with buttermilk.
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18
Use milk to replace the buttermilk, omit the baking soda, and use 1 level tablespoon of baking powder to leaven the batter.
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19
Texas Hush Puppies
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20
Use stone-ground yellow cornmeal instead of white.
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21
Add a teaspoon of garlic powder or (infinitely better in my view) 3 or 4 pressed garlic cloves.
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22
Omit the black pepper, but add 1 to 2 finely minced fresh or pickled jalapeno peppers (leaving in the seeds, if you wish, for extra kick).
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23
If you like, add a little minced parsley or cilantro.
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24
AndI am told this is the secretfry the hush puppies in the same oil used for frying the fish youre serving them with.
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25
Quickie Garden Hush Puppies
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26
Substitute 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons of self-rising cornmeal (White Lily is the preferred brand) for the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
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27
Use milk or water in place of the buttermilk, adding a few tablespoons of finely minced tomatoes to the liquid, to equal the 1 cup total.
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28
Use 2 or 3 finely chopped scallions instead of the regular onion.
