Name: Cast Iron Hushpuppies with Chipotle Aioli
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: SouthernUS & Canada
Ingredients: 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 5 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce; 1 teaspoon lime juice; 3/4 cup cornmeal; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 3/4 cup buttermilk; 2 large eggs; 2 scallions , sliced thin; 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 1 quart peanut or vegetable oil , for frying

Why This Recipe Works

To get the best crunch on this classic Southern dish, we looked to our 12-inch cast-iron skillet. A classic frying vessel, it holds onto heat extremely well; even after we had dropped the first batch of hushpuppy batter into the heated oil its temperature didn't fluctuate dramatically, which ensured a crunchy finish for even the last dumplings in the batch. For truly delicate interiors, we strayed from tradition and lightened the cornmeal batter with a little all-purpose flour. We stuck with tradition by using buttermilk as the liquid component in our batter, however. This ingredient not only added a nice tang, it also allowed us to incorporate baking soda into our recipe. Baking soda reacted with the acidic buttermilk, producing carbon dioxide bubbles that further lightened the batter. While we were at it, we added a little baking powder, which was activated when the batter was dropped into the hot oil, causing the dumplings to expand slightly and opening up their interior crumb. With our hushpuppies sufficiently tender, we looked to jazz up their relatively plain flavor. Cayenne pepper was an obvious addition, and scallions and Dijon mustard really helped to make these crowd favorites. While these hushpuppies are delicious on their own, we also whipped together a chipotle aioli with a few pantry staples for the perfect dipping sauce to go along with them.

Before You Begin

Do not use stone-ground cornmeal in this recipe; it will make the texture of the hushpuppies too gritty. You will need a 12-inch cast-iron skillet with at least 2-inch sides for this recipe.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Whisk mayonnaise, chipotle, and lime juice together in bowl; set aside for serving.

Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cayenne together in large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, scallions, and mustard until well combined. Stir buttermilk mixture into cornmeal mixture with rubber spatula until just combined. Let batter sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels. Add oil to 12-inch cast-iron skillet until it measures about ¾ inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to 375 degrees.

Carefully drop one-third of batter, 1 tablespoon at a time, into oil. Fry until deep golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes, flipping hushpuppies halfway through frying. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 350 and 375 degrees. Transfer hushpuppies to prepared rack and keep warm in oven. (Hushpuppies can be kept warm in oven for up to 30 minutes.)

Return oil to 375 degrees and repeat with remaining batter in 2 batches. Serve with chipotle aioli.