I didn't think pimento cheese could get any better than homemade and slathered on a buttery cracker or spread between two slices of my favorite bread. Then I read these four words in an email from Garden & Gun:
Pimento Cheese Hush Puppies.
To say melding with cornmeal dough and deep-frying makes pimento cheese better is hyperbole, but man is it good.
And adding cheese definitely elevates the humble hush puppy to sublime status.
A pimento cheese hush puppy is the best of both dishes: cheesy, savory, slightly sweet and deep-fried crispy.
Because I like my pimento cheese light on the mayo and heavy on the 'menta, I reduced the mayonnaise by half and used a heaping half cup of the diced red peppers. I also greatly reduced the salt. The original recipe paired the hush puppies with a comeback sauce, but I didn't think they needed it so I skipped it.
For frying I opted for rice bran oil because that's what I had the most of on hand.
Even my husband, who usually turns up his nose at pimento cheese, devoured these hush puppies.
We had about two-thirds left after eating our fill, so I froze the leftovers. They weren't perfect, but were still quite tasty reheated in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Pimento Cheese Hush Puppies
For the cornmeal batter:
2 green onions, finely minced
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fine cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
For the pimento cheese:
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
1 teaspoon coarse-grain mustard
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced pimento or roasted red bell pepper, drained
1 quart vegetable oil, for frying
For the batter: In a large bowl, combine the onion, flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the honey, buttermilk and egg, then stir into dry mix until fully incorporated.
For pimento cheese:
Combine the garlic, mayonnaise, pickle juice, mustard, hot sauce, salt and pepper in a large bowl to make a paste. Gently stir in cheese and pimento until fully incorporated.
To fry: Heat the oil to 350 degrees in a Dutch oven or very deep skillet.
Stir the pimento cheese into the batter, mixing thoroughly. The mixture should be scoopable and hold its shape. If the batter is too thick, stir in a little buttermilk. If it's too thin, add a little cornmeal to thicken. Frying a few at a time, drop mixture by small spoonfuls (I used a small cookie scoop) into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crisp on the outside, 2 to 3 minutes. The hush puppies will be somewhat shaggy. You may find it necessary to skim the oil occasionally to remove debris.
Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.
Makes about 36 small hush puppies.
Recipe adapted from chef John Fleer via Garden & Gun
Food on 09/06/2017