There’s this amazing southern down home cooking barbeque restaurant in the town where I grew up. The couple who owns it, one from Louisiana and the other from North Carolina, make some of the most delicious foods I’ve ever tasted. I honestly never knew how good okra and black eyed peas could be until I fell prey to a few adventure meals.
I have many favorites from their menu, but the food that makes my mouth water at just the mere thought of it is hush puppies! I remember my son telling me about these delectable bites of heaven when he was stationed in North Carolina during one of his tours. He raved about them and all I could think was “yep, sounds like a ball of deep fried cornbread.” I had no idea how yummy these tasty treats really are until I tried them.
They didn’t have them on the menu last time I visited home and honestly, my heart just sank. The thought of never being able to taste these morsels of goodness again was almost worth crying about. And then I realized that this was a great opportunity and set off on a quest to discover how to make them myself.
I think I’ve finally perfected a recipe that is nearly as divine as the hush puppies I grew to love so much, bit a bit healthier. It uses fresh sourdough discard to provide a good tang, mixed with a hint of sweet and a good, but not overpowering, punch of spice. The pillow-like breading is encased in a crunchy outer layer of goodness that is baked, not fried, to absolute perfection.
If you’ve never had hush puppies and are curious or even if you’ve had them and want to give this recipe a try, here’s how I make mine…
- 1 1/2 cups masa flour
- 1 cup fresh 100% hydration sourdough discard
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped hot green chiles
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
Begin by mixing the masa flour, sourdough discard and water together. Use your hands to mix the ingredients well and form into a ball.
Place in a tea towel, cover and let ferment for 12 hours.
Once the fermenting process is complete, add the remaining ingredients. Use your hands to mix the ingredients in well. Take small pieces and roll into a ball or scoop with a batter scooper. Place each of the balls of dough onto a baking sheet and either bake in the oven at 475 degrees f or in an air fryer. I use the air fryer to give the outer casing a good crunch.
They do taste a bit different, since they’re not fried. But they’re still divine and since it’s a healthier version, I can enjoy them more frequently. I’d say that’s a win!
Let me known if you try them and what you think!
Food Crush Cooking Connection 