Sharon Minton, the wife of the late Vernon Minton, the longtime Director of Alabama’s Marine Resources Division, has had plenty of experience cooking delicious coastal dishes, and you’ll enjoy this unusual hush puppy recipe. Friends always say it’s the best they’ve ever eaten.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of self-rising corn meal
• 1 cup of self-rising flour
• 1 egg
• Milk
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, chopped into 1/4 inch cubes
• 2-3 tablespoons of Italian bread crumbs (enough to cover the mixture)
• 2 teaspoons of Lawry’s seasoning

Preparation:

Mix flour and corn meal. Add milk until smooth. Blend-in egg. Add Italian breadcrumbs, onions, Lawry’s seasoning and cheese. Stir until smooth. Mixture should be thick but not soupy. Heat oil to approximately 300 degrees. Spoon batter into oil (use two tablespoons – one to dip mixture and one to rake it into oil). Cook until golden brown (if the oil’s too hot, the batter will cook on the outside but still will be raw in the middle). Drain on paper towels.