Lolly's Southern Hush Puppies

If you're going to enjoy a fish fry, an absolute MUST is a crunchy, light hush puppy.  Southern tradition is that people cooking outdoors would fry up these little cornmeal bits along with their other food as a side delicacy and would feed a few to the dogs to keep them quiet while the humans were eating.  Get it?  “Hush, puppies!”  I love that story.

Here's my version:

1 1/2 cups self rising white cornmeal

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped.

a few grinds a black pepper

1/4 t. finely chopped parsley

cooking oil heated to 375 degrees

In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, buttermilk and onions until thoroughly mixed together.  Add pepper and parsley and stir to mix.  

Heat canola or peanut oil in a deep fryer or in a heavy Dutch oven to a temperature of 375 degrees.  Using a 1 1/2 inch scoop, slowly release batter one hush puppy at a time.   Don't crowd the cooker.  Cook in batches for 5 - 6 minutes until golden brown, the hush puppies are floating in the oil and they are cooked through.

Continue until all the batter is used.  Serve immediately.