Hushpuppies

Ingredients

• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 0.3 cup cheddar cheese grated
• 1 large eggs beaten
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
• 6 servings vegetable oil; peanut oil preferred for frying
• 4  scallions thinly sliced
• 0.8 cup self-rising flour 
• 0.5 teaspoon paprika smoked
• 0.5 teaspoon sugar 
• 0.5 small vidalia onion finely grated
• 1 cup cornmeal yellow

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• paper towels
• whisk
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Preheat 2 inches peanut oil in a deep-fryer or Dutch oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, 1 teaspoon salt, the sugar, cayenne and paprika in a large bowl to get rid of the lumps. (No one likes a lumpy hushpuppy.)
3. Mix in the remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine.
4. Dip 2 spoons into a mug of water (this allows the batter to come clean off). Scoop up about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the batter and carefully slide it into the hot oil, working in batches. Fry the scoops of batter 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked all the way through (test the first one for doneness).
5. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet, seasoning with salt as soon as they come out of the fryer.
6. Photograph by David Malosh