Pimento Cheese Hush Puppies
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 16 to 18 hush puppies
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 18 servings
- Calories
- 119
- Total Fat
- 9
- Saturated Fat
- 2
- Carbohydrates
- 8
- Dietary Fiber
- 0
- Sugar
- 1
- Protein
- 3
- Cholesterol
- 21
- Sodium
- 110
- Total: 1 hr
- Active: 40 min
Ingredients
1 cup shredded sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
2 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons drained diced pimentos (about half of a 4-ounce jar)
2 pinches of cayenne pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup buttermilk, shaken
1 large egg
Directions
- Stir together 1/2 cup Cheddar, the cream cheese, pimentos and cayenne in a small bowl. Scoop teaspoon-size balls of the cream cheese mixture onto a plate and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F.
- Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk and egg. Whisk the liquid ingredients together, then stir in the surrounding dry mixture until just combined. Fold in the remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Working in batches, drop the cream cheese balls into the batter and turn with 2 spoons until thinly coated all over. Gently drop into the hot oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a rack set on a baking sheet and season with salt; keep warm in the oven while you batter and fry the rest. Serve warm.