Southern Fried Saturday #3: Hush Puppies

During the Civil War (or, as some southerners like to say, “The War of Northern Aggression”), the confederate soldiers would keep dogs to help them track. At night, the soldiers needed to keep the dogs quiet so they wouldn’t give away their location.

So, when the dogs would get restless or hungry and start baying, the soldiers had to think fast. Since corn fritters were quick and cheap to make, they would toss some over to the dogs, telling them to hush as they eat. And so Hush Puppies were born.

At least, that is one story of their origin. The naming of Hush Puppies has also been attributed to a chef in New Orleans, a fry cook in South Carolina, and about six thousand other people. Pretty much, nobody really knows where they got their name. They just all know they are delicious.

When I moved back to Montana, I was determined to create a great recipe for Hush Puppies. After a few failures, I found one I love and I haven’t looked back since. They make a great side dish for fish or chicken, or a fun afternoon snack.

Rachel’s Hush Puppies

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 small onion, chopped fine

Mix ingredients together. Drop by teaspoonfuls into hot oil and fry until golden brown. I use a deep fryer, but if you don’t have one, a deep frying pan with oil will work – just make sure to turn the hush puppies if they are not completely immersed.

A couple tips:

*These are great dipped in cocktail sauce (homemade: ketchup, worchestershire sauce, and a bit of horseradish).

*If you don’t have onion, or you want to try something different, have fun experimenting! These are great if you replace the onion with some thyme.