Hush Puppies fried in the skillet with Smoky Mountain Relish
Hush Puppies
Ingredients:
100g cornmeal
50g plain flour
1 dessertspoon onion powder
2 finely chopped scallions
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
35g grated mature cheddar
1 egg
100ml buttermilk
Oil for frying
Method:
Place the cornmeal, flour, onion powder, scallions, salt and baking powder in a bowl.
In a separate bowl whisk the egg and buttermilk.
Mix into the dry ingredients with the cheese.
If you have a deep fat fryer set the temperature to 170oc.
If you don’t heat a thumb depth of oil in a pan.
To test whether it’s ready, drop a teaspoon of the mixture into the pan – if it fizzles it’s ready.
Or use a temperature probe. Make sure your pan is high sided enough to allow for the oil raising when the mixture is added.
Drop tablespoons of the oil into the pan – don’t overcrowd ( good idea to have the oven on at about 100oc to keep the cooked hush puppies warm)
Allow to cook for about 2 minutes each side.
Drain on kitchen paper and repeat with the remaining batter.
Smoky Mountain Relish
Ingredients:
2 red peppers
2 corn on the cob ( or 200g tinned or cooked frozen corn)
1 onion
2 teaspoons seasalt
100ml cider vinegar
50g castor sugar
50g water
1 tablespoon horseradish sauce
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric
Method:
Cut the peppers into 1cm dice and place in a bowl.
Finely chop the onion and add to the peppers.
Remove corn from cob, add to the bowl and mix well.
Mix in the salt and cover with a tea towel and leave overnight.
Rinse the mixture under cold water.
Place vinegar, sugar, water, mustard seeds and turmeric in a pan and bring to a simmer.
When sugar is dissolved add vegetables.
Cook for 3 minutes on high heat.
Mix in the horseradish sauce well.
Bottle in sterilized jam jars or a kilner jar.
Seal and leave to mature for a couple of days before using.
After opening store in the fridge.
