Hush Puppies

Hush puppies are small, crisp-crusted fried dumplings made from a cornmeal batter enriched with egg, buttermilk and finely chopped onion. They are a staple of Southern American barbecue, traditionally served alongside smoked meats and collard greens. The name is said to derive from using leftover frying batter to silence dogs at outdoor cookouts. A good batter should be thick enough to hold its shape when dropped from a spoon into oil at around 180 degrees Celsius. Properly made, they are golden and slightly crunchy outside and soft, cornbread-like within. Both Jennifer and Anthony used them in their ham dishes in this episode, Jennifer pairing hers with smoked grapes and pickled collard stems for a balanced Southern plate.