Hushpuppies

Oh, hushpuppies. When I mention them to Aussies here, they say "I know hushpuppies are a shoe." Yes, they are a shoe. But they are also a delicious little Southern bite, wonderful in it's simplicity, yet at the same time, complex with crunch outside, soft inside, some spice, and a little sweetness.

I had a hard time creating my hushpuppies here in Oz. I could not for the life of me locate cornmeal anywhere. People in the grocery stores that I asked were not even sure what cornmeal was. I finally googled it (oh google, how you have helped me over the years) and saw that yanks in Oz looking for cornmeal bought polenta instead. I don't know why I hadn't thought of it, polenta at it's base is just cornmeal after all. So next time I was in Woolies, I asked where the polenta was located. It was located with imported goods over near the fancy cheeses in the deli. There it was, polenta. I turned the bag over and it said "Ingredients: cornmeal." Oh, good grief.

Hushpuppies (I love telling this story) got their name because they were first (in their very primitive form) just leftovers from frying that were tossed to dogs to quiet them from barking and whining. Get it? Hush-puppies. But now-a-days, they have evolved into an appetizer/side that can have various forms and be dipped in a variety of dips to satisfy any tastes. This recipe is just a plain traditional southern recipe.

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup white sugar

1 large onion, finely diced

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup self-rising cornmeal

oil for frying

Mix together eggs, sugar, and onion. Blend in flour and cornmeal. Heat 1-2 inches of oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C) (if you do 1 inch of oil, you will need to turn the hushpuppies over to fry other side). Drop batter by rounded teaspoonfuls in hot oil, and fry until golden brown. Cook in small batches so that there is room to move and hushpuppies do not touch. Drain paper towels. Serve hot with butter or Honey Cinnamon Butter.

image courtesy of google images.

**As I mentioned in the earlier description, hushpuppies can be changed for a variety of palettes. You can add lots of spices and kick them up a notch, add corn or cheese to make them a little more substantial. You be the mad scientist of hushpuppies and find your favorite version!