Combine the flour, baking powder and salt and sift them together into a deep bowl. Stir in the cornmeal, unsifted, then add the eggs, one at a time, and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth. Pour in 3/4 cup of buttermilk and stir until it is completely absorbed. If the batter seems dense, add up to 1/4 cup more buttermilk by the spoonful until the batter holds its shape in a spoon. Beat in the finely chopped onions and garlic. Preheat the oven to its lowest setting. Line a large shallow baking dish with a double thickness of paper towels and place the baking dish in the middle of the oven. In a deep fryer or large heavy saucepan, melt enough lard to fill the pan to a depth of 2 to 3 inches, or pour in vegetable oil to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Heat the fat until it reaches a temperature of 375 degrees on a deep frying thermometer. To shape each hush puppy, scoop up a rounded Tablespoon of the batter and push it into the hot fat with another spoon.
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Deep fry the hush puppies 4 or 5 at a time, turning them about frequently with a slotted spoon for about 3 minutes or until they are golden brown. Transfer them to the lined baking dish to drain and keep them warn in the low oven while you deep fry the rest. Serve the hush puppies hot, accompanied by butter. Traditionally hush puppies accompany fried fish.
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