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Salami, Olive & Parmesan Hush Puppies with Bleu Cheese Caper Aioli

Taking the comfort southern classic hush puppies and combining the Mediterranean flavors of Spanish olives and salami for an exciting cocktail tapas

Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword hush puppies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 12
Author Joseph Sciascia

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups polenta or course corn meal
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp coarse black pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan & Romano cheese blend
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 1/2 cup diced salami
  • 1/2 cup pitted Spanish olives with pimentos, chopped
  • oil for frying

Bleu Cheese Caper Aioli

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
  • 1/4 tsp coarse black pepper
  • 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese

Instructions



  1. In a small bowl, combine the Bleu Cheese Caper Aioli ingredients together and stir well, cover and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve









  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, polenta, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper and Parmesan/Romano cheese blend











  3. Combine the egg and buttermilk and mix well









  4. Add in the green onions, salami and chopped olives and stir to mix in well, the batter will be thick









  5. Pour oil into a heavy bottomed deep frying pan or Dutch oven and heat to 375 degrees and have a paper towel lined sheet pan ready near by but not to close to the cooking source, safety first









  6. Once oil has reached temperature, with a tablespoon or a small ice cream/cookie scoop, drop batter into hot oil making sure not to crowd the pan with too many, I dropped in 8 different spoonful’s









  7. Cook until golden brown on both sides, turning each one over with a wire mesh turner or slotted spoon until they are cooked through, this took a total of 4 minutes.









  8. Transfer hush puppies onto a paper towel lined sheet pan and keep warm in oven until ready to serve, repeat this step until all the hush puppies have been made







  9. I was able to make 38 hush puppies, just a little smaller than a golf ball









  10. Serve warm alongside the Bleu cheese caper aioli









  11. Serves 12 as an appetizer