Classic Southern Hushpuppies with Jalapeno Aioli

By lorik

Ingredients

• For the batter:
• 1 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup full-fat buttermilk
• 7 dashes hot sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• Peanut or rice bran oil, for frying
• Sea salt, for sprinkling
• For the aioli:
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 to 4 teaspoons acid
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 cup grapeseed or olive oil
• 1 pinch salt and white pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• Chopped fresh or pickled jalapeño, to taste
• Variation from Bon Appetit:
• Hushpuppies with Tarter Sauce:
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup fine-grind cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded if desired, finely chopped
• Vegetable oil (for frying; about 6 cups)
• Tartar Sauce:
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup finely chopped bread-and-butter pickles
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (preferably Texas Pete)
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Details

Servings 15
Adapted from food52.com

Preparation

Step 1

For Hushpuppies:
In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg well with buttermilk and hot sauce.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in buttermilk mixture and gently fold with a fork. Add green onions and make sure they are evenly distributed. You'll know you're on the right track at this point because your batter will already look airy and fluffy. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
Heat the peanut or rice bran oil in a round, heavy pot over medium until it hits 350° F. If you don't have an oil thermometer, no big deal! When the oil starts to glisten, drop in a small piece of potato. It will start rapidly firing bubbles when the oil is almost ready, and will do a little dance and start to float when it is ready.
Use two spoons to drop the batter into the oil. Shoot for a tablespoon-sized spoonful. If the batter doesn't begin to float within a few seconds, give it a little nudge to ensure that it isn't sticking to the bottom of the pot. Fry for about 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Drain on a brown paper grocery bag and sprinkle with sea salt while hot. Serve immediately.

For Aioli:
In a stand mixer with whisk attachment (or in a bowl with a hand mixer), beat egg yolk with 2 teaspoons acid (lemon juice, lime juice and white balsamic vinegar all work well), garlic, and mustard.
While whisking, stream in oil slowly until the mixture thickens. If it doesn't thicken, add more acid. Fold in cilantro.
Season with salt, pepper, and jalapeños to taste.

Variation:
Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper in a large bowl to combine. Add butter and work in with a pastry blender or your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal (the largest butter pieces should be no bigger than a pea). 

Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add egg and buttermilk to well. Gradually incorporate into dry ingredients, mixing from the center out, until a smooth batter forms. Add onion and jalapeño and mix gently just to evenly disperse (be careful not to overmix).

Pour oil into a large heavy saucepan to come halfway up sides and fit with thermometer. Heat oil over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°. Using a 1-oz. scoop or a tablespoon and working in 2–3 batches, carefully drop balls of batter into oil and fry, turning often with a spider or a slotted spoon and adjusting heat to maintain temperature, until hushpuppies are puffed and deep golden all over, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and let cool slightly.

Serve warm hushpuppies with tartar sauce alongside for dipping. 

Do Ahead: Batter can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Scoop cold batter directly into hot oil and fry.

Per piece: Calories (kcal) 80 Fat (g) 5 Saturated Fat (g) 2 Cholesterol (mg) 15 Carbohydrates (g) 8 Dietary Fiber (g) 0 Total Sugars (g) 1 Protein (g) 1 Sodium (mg) 110

Tartar Sauce:
Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, pickles, lemon juice, garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Do Ahead: Tartar sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

For 8 servings (3 Tbsp. each): Calories (kcal) 160 Fat (g) 16 Saturated Fat (g) 3 Cholesterol (mg) 10 Carbohydrates (g) 2 Dietary Fiber (g) 0 Total Sugars (g) 1 Protein (g) 0 Sodium (mg) 170