In the South, nothing goes better with a plate of crispy fried shrimp or fish than a side of Southern Hush Puppies. They are amazingly easy to prepare, and insanely delicious to eat!
Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches in a dutch oven; heat to 375° F. (See Note 2)
Whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add onion; stir to combine.
Add egg and buttermilk; stir just until moistened. Let stand 10 minutes.
Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls into hot oil, and fry, in 3 batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown. (See Note 3)
Remove from oil; drain on wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet.
Keep warm in 200° F oven.
Yield: 1 ½ to 2 dozen Southern Hush Puppies.
Tips/Notes
I tend to use peanut oil because it can withstand high temperatures. However, vegetable oil would also work here. I would avoid olive oil.
I always use a thermometer to ensure the proper oil temperature. The reason is that the hush puppies tend to be greasy if cooked at too low a temperature. Also, the outside tends to overcook if they are cooked at too high a temperature.
I used an ice cream scoop here. The resultant hush puppies were pretty large. You might want to consider using a smaller ice cream scoop or spoon to produce smaller hush puppies.