Hush Puppies with Jalapeño Honey Butter

Good hush puppies should make you close your eyes on the first bite. That's the test. If you can eat one without stopping for a moment of pure appreciation, something went wrong.

My grandmother Evangeline fried hush puppies in the same cast iron skillet she used for catfish, and she always said the secret was in the buttermilk. The tang cuts through the richness of the cornmeal and gives the batter that slight sourdough quality that separates real hush puppies from the frozen hockey pucks some folks try to pass off as the genuine article. She cooked by feel, adjusting the batter until it held its shape on the spoon, and she knew her oil was ready by the sound it made when a drop of water hit the surface.

At Lagniappe, we serve these with a jalapeño honey butter that has become famous in its own right. Guests have tried to bribe my cooks for the recipe. The sweet honey plays against the slow heat of the pepper, and when you spread it on a warm hush puppy fresh from the fryer, it melts into all those craggy nooks and crannies. The combination is irresistible: crispy, tender, sweet, spicy, rich. Everything a good appetizer should be.

This is party food that makes people feel welcome. Pile them high, set out the butter, and watch them disappear. That is the magic of generous cooking.