Hush Puppies

Inspired by Razzoo’s - Dallas, TX

IMG_4102.jpg
IMG_4103.jpg
IMG_4106.jpg
IMG_4126.jpg

It would be criminal of me to provide a recipe for fried catfish and not also follow up with an order of hush puppies to enjoy on the side. These little balls of fried corn dough are the perfect accompaniment to many seafood dished in the South. And while they can usually be an afterthought, you can really dress them up by adding just about anything you want to them. I always loved the jalapeño hush puppies at Razzoo’s but I’ve seen these stuffed with crab meat, bacon, sweet corn kernels, and other ingredients. Follow the base seen here and create your own favorite.

This recipe is inspired by the jalapeño hush puppies at Razzoo’s Cajun Cafe found throughout Texas. There are many variations of hush puppies and you should feel free to substitute or add where you see fit as long as you keep all non-optional ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

HUSH PUPPIES (makes 1 dozen):

  • ½ cup all -purpose flour

  • ½ cup yellow cornmeal

  • 1 tsp salt

  • ½ tsp pepper

  • 1 large egg

  • ½ cup buttermilk

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • ½ tsp baking soda

  • ½ cup white onion, minced

  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced (optional)

  • Canola oil for frying

SPICY TARTAR SAUCE (makes almost 1 cup):

  • ½ cup mayo

  • 1 TBS lemon juice

  • 1 TBS Frank’s Red Hot

  • 1 TBS dijon mustard

  • 1 TBS chopped dill

  • 1 dill pickle, finely diced (about 3 TBS)

  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 tsp paprika

  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

  • Salt and pepper to taste

GO FOR IT

HUSH PUPPIES:

  1. In a bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper, baking powder, and baking soda

  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg and buttermilk

  3. Combine dry and wet ingredients and stir until well combined

  4. Stir in onion (and jalapeños if using)

  5. In a large frying pan or dutch oven, heat oil to 375°F

  6. Working in batches if necessary, drop spoonfuls of your batter into the hot oil (I use a scoop that will grab about 2 TBS of batter at a time)

  7. Fry hush puppies for 3 to 4 minutes (until golden), then remove to a paper towel to drain

  8. Serve hot and fresh with a side of tartar sauce or sauce of choice

SPICY TARTAR SAUCE:

  1. In a bowl, mix together all ingredients, then try and add salt and pepper to taste

NOTES:

As I’ve stated, this recipe is easily interchangeable. I like onion but you may not as much. It is very typical to use onion in your batter but I put quite a bit and you might enjoy cutting back by half if that’s not a flavor you’re usually a fan of. Otherwise, this recipe is quite straightforward and I don’t really have much to add. Enjoy!