-FOR THE FISH-
1 1/2 c Corn flour, stone ground
1 ts Salt
1/2 ts Freshly ground pepper
1/4 ts Cayenne or to taste
3 lb Small cleaned fish or filet
-preferrably freshwater
-catfish or sunfish
FOR HUSH PUPPIES
1 lg Egg
2 c Buttermilk
1 3/4 c Stone ground whole grain
-cornmeal
1/2 c Minced onion
1 ts Baking powder, scant
1 ts Salt; scant
1 ts Baking sda; scant
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. In a stockpot or Dutch oven, pour oil
to a depth of at least 1 1/2 inches. and heat the oil at medium-high
until the temperature reaches 375 degrees. Place wire racks on 2
baking sheets and set aside. In a wide bowl, mix the corn flour,
salt, pepper and cayenne. In a medium-size bowl, prepare the hush
puppies batter: Mix the egg and buttermilk well, then stir in the
cornmeal until well blended, Add the onion, and stir in. Place the
baking powder, salt and baking soda in a small separate container and
set aside while you fry the fish. Dip each fish or fillet into the
seasoned flour, coating well buyt shaking off excess. Carefully
lower each piece into the oil. Fillt he pot, but do not crowd it.
The oil should bubble up around each piece. Make sure temperature
stays between 365 and 375 degrees. Fry the fish until it is golden
all over, about 2 or 3 minutes on each side. Set aside the remaining
corn flour. Remove the fish pieces from the oil in the same order
they were immersed, using a wire mesh strainer allowing excess to
drain. When fish stops dripping; place it on one of the prepared
baking sheets; then place in oven. Continue until all fish is fried.
For the hush puppies: add the reserved baking powder, salt and baking
soda to the hush puppy batter, and mix well; then, add the leftover
seasoned corn flour to the batter a little at a time, until the
batter is thick enough to be spooned. You will have added about 1/4
to 1/2 cup of of the corn flour. Make sure the oil has returned to
375 degrees F; then, drop the batter by spoonfuls into the oil, using
2 teaspoons — 1 to scoop the batter and one to scrape it off and
into the oil. Fry the hush puppies until golden all over, about 3
minutes. Drain each pup well over the pot, and place on the second
prepared sheet pan. Repeat process until all batter is fried.
Yields
6 Servings