Sausage Jalapeño Hushpuppies with Honey Butter
makes at least 2 dozen (if not more)
ecipe adapted from Tyler Florence Family Meal: Bringing People Together Never Tasted Better
for the honey butter:
- 1 stick salted butter, at room temperature
- 4-5 tablespoons honey
for the hushpuppies
- extra virgin olive oil
- 2 links Italian sausage
- 4 cups cornmeal
- 6 tablespoons self-rising flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions
- 1 jalapeño finely chopped
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- vegetable or peanut oil, for deep frying
to make the honey butter:
In a small bowl, mix the butter with the honey. Stir until well combined. Set aside and keep at room temperature until ready to serve.
to make the hushpuppies:
Place a skillet over high heat. Add a 2 count of olive oil, remove the sausage from their casings and crumble the sausage into the skillet. Brown the sausage for a minute or two to develop flavor, then reduce the heat to medium and stir until the sausage is thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, scallions and jalapeño. Add the buttermilk, eggs, and sautéed sausage, and combine thoroughly. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
In a deep fryer or deep heavy skillet, heat 4-5 inches of peanut oil to 375F. Gently drop the batter by tablespoons (or use a 1 inch scooper) into the hot oil, 6 at a time. Keep an eye on the temperature of the oil; the temperature will drop after you add the batter. If it drops more than 5 degrees, raise the heat a bit until it returns to 375F. Fry until golden brown, turning several times. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with honey butter.