Hushpuppies and Pimento Cheese

Hushpuppies and Pimento Cheese
If you're looking for a little Southern flavor with your next pairing, this is it.
Yield:6 as an appetizer
Prep:4 hours
Cook:30 minutes
Total Time:4 hours 30 minutes
Yield:6 as an appetizer
Prep:4 hours
Cook:30 minutes
Total Time:4 hours 30 minutes

Hush Puppies are a classic fried finger food and stuffed with pimento cheese, makes the perfect cheesy bite with a kick. As an appetizer, it's perfect to pair with Goldeneye Pinot Noir to balance each morsel with the bright balanced acidity of Andreson Valley wines.

Ingredients

Hushpuppies:

  • 1 ½ cups Cornmeal, fine

  • 1 cup All-purpose flour, sifted

  • 1 tsp Sugar

  • ½ tsp Baking powder

  • ½ tsp Baking soda

  • 1 tsp Salt

  • ½ tsp Black pepper ground

  • ½ tsp Cayenne pepper

  • ½ tsp Onion powder

  • 2 Eggs

  • 1 ½ cups Buttermilk

  • ¼ cup Green Onions, thinly sliced

Pimento Cheese:

  • 1 cup Cheddar, at room temperature

  • ½ of a 6-oz jar Pimentos, drained and chopped

  • 1 tbsp Mayonnaise

  • 1 tbsp Pickle Juice

  • 2 tbsp Cream cheese

  • 1 tsp Salt

  • 1 tsp Black pepper

  • 1 tsp Cayenne, ground- optional

Preparation

Hushpuppies:

  1. With a stand mixer or by hand whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and onion powder together. Add eggs and buttermilk and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or up to 4 hours.

  2. Fold in sliced green onions when preparing to fry.

  3. Pour the oil into a large enough pot to hold the 2 quarts of oil leaving at least half of the pot space open for frying. When the oil is ready for frying, test a piece of batter and it should bounce in the oil and sizzle. Oil should not smoke. Temperature should be between 325-350 degrees.

  4. Using a large tablespoon, drop rounded spoonfuls of batter into oil about 8 to 10 hushpuppies per batch. Fry for about 3 minutes and lay onto paper towel or metal cooling rack.

  5. Serve immediately with pimento cheese.

Pimento Cheese:

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix by hand for a rough consistency or whip with paddle attachment for a more creamy consistency. (Hot sauces can be omitted or used generously at your whim). Serve immediately.

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