Captain Buddy's Peppery Hush Puppies

Another recipe from Buddy's Seafood Restaurant in Charleston,North Carolina. It was published in the Bon Voyage section of a September 1981 Bon Appetit. Use floury stone-ground cornmeal to keep the hush puppies light and hold them together as they fry. An electric wok or frying pan or deep fryer works well for this recipe. Beer gives these puffs a light texture.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 6 dozen hushpuppies

Ingredients

• 4  cups  sifted  stone-ground yellow cornmeal
• 2  cups  sifted self-rising cake flour
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2  cups beer (to 2 1/2 c.) or 2  cups milk (to 2 1/2 c.)
• 1  medium onion, finely minced
• 1  egg
• 1⁄4 cup  minced fresh parsley
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
• 3  quarts  peanut oil (for deep frying)

Directions

1. Sift cornmeal,flour,baking powder,salt and soda into large bowl.; make a well in the center.
2. Add 2 cups beer or milk, onion,egg,parsley and pepper.
3. Stir quickly until just combined; do not overmix.
4. Add remaining 1/2 cup beer or milk if batter is too thick, it should be the consistancy of porridge.
5. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Heat oil in electric skillet or wok, deep fryer, or large saucepan to 365 degrees.
6. Drop batter by rounded teaspoonful into hot oil and fry, turning once, until richly browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
7. Drain on paper towels, transfer to serving platter and keep warm in oven.
8. Repeat with remaining batter; serve hot.