Herbed Hush Puppies

Easy and fun to make, these little fritters are moist on the inside and crisp on the outside—a delightful Southern treat, no ketchup necessary.
makes about 20

1 cup coarse cornmeal
½ cup flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 large egg
¾ cup milk
1 small onion, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, oregano)
1 ear corn, grilled and kernels cut off the cob
High-temperature oil (see Tip below) for frying

In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine. Make a well in the middle and add the egg and milk and whisk into the dry ingredients until the batter is well combined. Fold in onions, herbs, and corn until evenly combined.

In a heavy-bottomed pan with straight sides, add 2 inches of oil and set over medium-high heat. Once the oil reaches 350°F, spoon the batter 1 tablespoon at a time into the hot oil. The batter should immediately sizzle and sink to the bottom. Once each hush puppy rises into a sphere, bobs up, and is golden on the bottom, flip it once to brown the top, about 3 minutes total. When they are medium brown, remove from oil with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel.

Tip: Use only high-temperature oil for frying (vegetable, peanut, canola, hemp). The hotter the oil, the quicker the batter sears, and the less oil the fritters absorb.