Shrimp and Okra Hush Puppies

“The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”
Julia Child

I love okra and this time of year I buy several pounds and freeze it for the winter, but I left a little out along with several fresh shrimp to make hushpuppies.   A good classic hushpuppy recipe should work and simply add chopped shrimp and okra to the mix.  I have had great results with the following recipe that calls for buttermilk and I add pinches of seafood seasoning and Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning.

Hush Puppies
Serves 4-6
1/2 cup okra, chopped
3 chopped green onions
about 1/2 pound peeled and deveined shrimp, rough chopped
1 egg + and additional yolk
3/4 cup buttermilk
Whisk the eggs and buttermilk add the chopped okra and shrimp.  Refrigerate until ready to blend into the dry ingredients.

Dry ingredients:
1/4 teaspoon seafood seasoning
1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup flour
1+1/2 cups of fine yellow corn meal
1+1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1+1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black or white pepper
Whisk all of the ingredients together and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.
Have ready a sheet pan lined with paper towels and a rack to drain the hushpuppies.

You can us an electric fryer or a deep pot to fry the hushpuppies…I have a deep frying pan that works just fine as would a cast iron skillet.  Add 1 inch of vegetable or canola oil and heat to about 350º.  Using a 1 “scoop, drop hushpuppy mix into hot oil and fry turning until golden.   Remove with a slotted spoon and serve hot with a favorite sauce.