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Princess "Hush Now" Hush Puppies

Source of Recipe

From "Big Food Big Love" by Heather Earnhardt


Recipe Introduction

"Granny always had a small dog or two, and I remember at least four of them. The last one she had before she died was named Princess. Princess was a little black toy poodle that would scratch your legs when you came over and bark and bark and bark. Actually, more like yap. When Granny's doorbell rang, which was often, Princess would begin her incessant yapping, and all the while Granny would say, 'Hush, Princess! Hush! Hush now!' For years, my dad simply called the dog 'Hush' and it stuck. The story goes that hush puppies were invented in North Carolina fish camps. The fishermen would be frying their fish over an open fire and started frying off bits of cornmeal to feed to the dogs to make them hush. I imagine them saying, 'Hush now!' much the way my Granny did. To give Princess a little bit of credit, when Granny died of a heart attack, she'd been hanging her house plants out on her back porch on an unseasonably warm February morning. When her neighbor Valeria came over to drop off Granny's broom, she found Granny lying on her back with Princess right on top of her. Princess wouldn't let anyone near Granny, and the EMT driver had to throw a coat over that little dog before they could get to her. Hush now, Princess. Hush."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ¼ cups regular ground cornmeal (not coarsely ground)
â—¦ ½ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 teaspoon baking powder
â—¦ ½ teaspoon baking soda
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon cayenne
â—¦ ¾ cup grated sweet onion
â—¦ 3 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
â—¦ 1 egg
â—¦ ¾ cup buttermilk
â—¦ Canola oil, for frying
â—¦ Whipped Honey Butter, for serving


Recipe

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cayenne, onion, and scallions. Using a wooden spoon, make a well in the center and add the egg and buttermilk. Using a whisk, mix the egg and buttermilk in the well, then slowly incorporate the dry ingredients, being careful not to over-mix. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl, making sure there are no clumps of cornmeal.

Line a plate with paper towels and set it aside. In a deep cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat 3 inches of oil until it registers 375° F on a deep-fry thermometer. Using a 1-ounce scoop or 1 heaping tablespoon (or one heaping teaspoon if making small puppies), scoop the batter and release it gently into the oil. Working in small batches so the oil maintains 375° F, fry until golden brown on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the puppies with tongs or a slotted spatula to drain on the lined plate. Serve immediately with the honey butter, or keep them warm in a 200° F oven until ready to serve.

Makes 16 large or 36 small puppies




Whipped Honey Butter:

"Honey butter on toast or biscuits with cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top is just the beginning. Dip hot hush puppies in honey butter, slather corn bread with it, layer it between pancakes and waffles, or spread it over baked fish. Any way you do it, you can't go wrong."

â—¦ 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ ½ cup local honey

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer running, add the salt. Drizzle in the honey and whip until thoroughly mixed. It will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days or refrigerated for up to two weeks.

Makes 1 cup