Appetizer- Hush Puppies Recipe

Prepare dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt until evenly combined.

Mix wet ingredients

In a separate bowl whisk the buttermilk, milk, and the large egg until smooth. Stir in the melted unsalted butter.

Combine and add aromatics

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined — batter should be thick but spoonable. Fold in the finely chopped yellow onion, scallions, and optional jalapeño. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine. If batter feels too thick to drop, add up to 1 tablespoon additional milk.

Heat the oil

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to a depth of about 1.5–2 inches (or about 3–4 cups depending on vessel). Heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter — it should sizzle and rise slowly to the surface.

Fry hush puppies

Using two spoons or a small cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons), carefully drop portions of batter into the hot oil, working in batches so you don’t crowd the pot. Fry 6–8 hush puppies at a time for roughly 2.5–3.5 minutes, turning as needed, until deep golden brown and cooked through. Internal texture should be soft and fluffy. Adjust heat to maintain 325–350°F to avoid overbrowning.

Drain and season

Use a slotted spoon to remove hush puppies and transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or paper towels. Immediately season lightly with a pinch of salt. Keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while finishing remaining batter.

Serve

Serve hot, 8 hush puppies per order, alongside the house tartar sauce.

Combine mayonnaise, finely chopped dill pickle, chopped capers, and finely chopped shallot or red onion in a small bowl.

Add lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and chopped parsley. Stir until smooth and well combined.

Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Adjust lemon or mustard to balance brightness and tang.

Chill for at least 15 minutes to let flavors meld. Serve chilled with hot hush puppies.