jalapeño, onion, and cheddar hushpuppies

How to make jalapeño, onion, and cheddar hushpuppies recipe - These bite-sized treats are made with deep-fried cornbread batter, enhanced with spicy jalapeños and salty cheese.

MAKES 20

PREP TIME 15 mins, plus resting, COOK TIME 15 mins

Ingredients:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1⁄2 cup self-rising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1⁄2 tsp cayenne pepper
1⁄2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup finely grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 large jalapeño or other mild green chile, finely chopped
4 large scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 3⁄4 pints (1 liter) peanut or sunflower oil, for frying

Method:
1 Sift the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, cayenne pepper, and salt into a large bowl and season well with black pepper. Add the cheese, jalapeño, and scallions and mix well to combine.

2 Whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and whisk in the buttermilk to form a thick batter. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.

3 In a large, heavy-based saucepan or deep-fat fryer, heat the oil to 375ºF (190ºC), as shown in the technique on p144. Using a lightly greased tablespoon measurer, form small, rounded spoonfuls of the batter and drop them quickly into the hot oil.

4 Cook for 2–3 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are puffed up and golden brown all over. Remove the cooked hushpuppies from the oil with a metal slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels. Serve immediately.

COOK’S TIP
When deep-frying, do not overcrowd the pan as the hushpuppies will not brown well. It is better to cook in batches. Never fill a pan more than half full with oil, as its level will rise when you add the hushpuppies, and could cause the hot oil to bubble over.

jalapeño, onion, and cheddar hushpuppies