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Nathalie Dupree's Hush Puppies
Makes 20 to 25

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings's Cross Creek Cookery, published in 1942, calls hush puppies "a concomitant of the hunt," and says "fresh-caught fried fish without hush puppies are as a man without a woman."

1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 egg
1 cup milk
Dash of Tabasco
3 to 4 cups vegetable oil

Combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, and onion. Whisk together the egg, milk, and Tabasco and stir into the cornmeal mixture. Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a skillet to 365°F. Drop the batter into the hot oil by tablespoons. Fry until golden brown on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

(Images: Flickr member roboppy, Flickr member stacya, Flickr member adactio/a>, licensed under Creative Commons)