A small but mighty snack! Celebrity chef Jason Santos has the perfect recipe to step up your appetizer game — his flavorful jalapeño, cheddar and bacon hush puppies.
“I love them because they’re so easy to make,” the Hell’s Kitchen star, 46, exclusively shares of his dish — which is featured in his new cookbook Simple Fancy — in the latest issue of Us Weekly. “They can be used as a passed canapé, plated appetizer or even as a side dish.”
A hush puppy is a savory bite-sized delight that typically consists of deep-fried cornmeal batter. As a staple in Southern cooking, they are usually served as a side dish that can be paired with seafood and other fried treats. What makes the sous chef’s recipe so special is its versatility.
“Use my recipe as a base and flavor them however you see fit!” the Boston-based restaurateur explains to Us.
Santos was the runner-up on the seventh season of Gordon Ramsay’s cooking competition series. He later returned to the reality show as a sous chef for seasons 19, 20 and 21. He is best known for his Buttermilk & Bourbon restaurants, which serve New Orleans-inspired cuisine.
Keep reading for his hush puppy recipe:
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
4 tsp baking powder
¾ cup sugar
2 tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
¼ cup onion powder
1 tbsp Cajun spice
1 cup bacon bits
1½ cups grated yellow cheddar
3 cups milk
3 eggs
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cup canned diced pickled jalapeños
Canola oil, for frying
Salt and pepper mix, to taste
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Spicy Creole ranch dressing or red remoulade, for serving
Instructions
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