These are a wonderful treat served with fried fish—especially catfish. They can even be cooked in the same oil you use to fry the fish. This gives them a little more crunch. There are several stories concerning the origin of hushpuppies. One is that when the men were out hunting and fishing for a few days and the dogs got hungry, they would mix up a cornmeal batter and fry it in the cooking grease on the campfire. This fried dough would be thrown to the dogs saying, “Hush, puppy!” The name stuck.
2 cups plain cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups sweet milk
½ cup grated or finely chopped onion
Shortening for frying
In a medium-size mixing bowl combine the cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk and then the onion. Blend the batter thoroughly. In a skillet or deepfat fryer heat the shortening until it is hot but not smoking. Drop the batter by the heaping tablespoonful into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown.
YIELD: 12 TO 15 HUSHPUPPIES