Jalapeno Hush Puppies

Jalapeno Hush Puppies are crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy. Basically, they're freakin' awesome and you should make them right away.

I grew up in arid eastern Washington in the middle of nowhere eating a lot of fast food and the occasional random Hawaiian luau feast. Guys, I was not remotely interested in food or cooking. I baked bran muffins in a toasty maker and heated up Hawaiian bread French toast and pizza bagel bites in the microwave. A box of macaroni and cheese was about the extent of my cooking skills.

I learned to cook in Oklahoma. It's sort of right smack dab in the middle of the country, so you get a bit of everything when it comes to American food. There's a hint of Southwest influence, a bit of Tex Mex, and a healthy balance of Southern and Midwestern comfort food. It's the first place I ever went to a restaurant nicer than The Olive Garden. It was really the ideal place to learn about the kind of food I love. Not haute cuisine, but the stuff that makes you feel blissfully comforted. The greasy cheap roadside diner kinda food. You know what I mean. It's delish.

What makes Jalapeno Hush Puppies so awesome?

I first had hush puppies at an Oklahoma Cajun restaurant called Pearl's. I fell in love instantly. In Scotland, no one's ever heard of them, so I make my own. These Jalapeno Hush Puppies are subtly sweet from the creamed corn and just a bit spicy from chopped jalapeno studded throughout.

You can make these as a side dish with fried chicken or fish, or you can serve up a basket of them as a party snack. I love the contrast between the crunchy outside and the fluffy tender inside. You can eat them plain or dip them into something creamy like sour cream with a hint of hot sauce.

Magical Properties of Jalapenos

Although I have yet to find any information strictly about jalapenos, there are some commonly held magical properties of chili peppers in general. I imagine that magical practitioners whose ancestors are from Mexico and other parts of the world where jalapenos are native have a better understanding of the subtleties between various types of chili.

In general though, chili peppers are obviously associated with the element of fire, as well as the planet Mars. Chilies can be used for fidelity and love spells as well as hex breaking. If you're looking to spice things up in a relationship, work with jalapenos or other chilies. This herb can also be used for protection, like creating a ring of fire around you or your home. (Source: Amino Apps)

For more on the magical properties of the ingredients in this recipe, check the Kitchen Magick page.

Tips for making Jalapeno Hush Puppies

You're gonna start out pretty much like making cornbread. Combine your dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. In a separate container, beat together buttermilk, and creamed corn. Then fold the two together and fold in your chopped jalapeno.

To fry these up, clip a candy thermometer onto a heavy pot or dutch oven. Fill it with a couple of inches of oil. You'll want to heat it to around 375 F (190C). Keep a close eye on it as the temperature will drop once you start frying. Use a cookie scoop to scoop your batter into the hot oil. Keep it moving with your tongs. Once it's deep brown on the outside, remove your hush puppies to a wire rack to cool and crisp up.

These are best eaten just a few minutes after they come out of the fryer when they're piping hot, but they'll be good at room temperature as well.

Sometimes you just need to eat something completely awesome. These Jalapeno Hush Puppies are here for you in those moments.

Looking for more awesome party snacks? Try some Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels or this Mexican Spinach Dip.

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Recipe slightly adapted from I'm Just Here for More Food by Alton Brown.

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