Active Time

　　50 min

　　Total Time

　　50 min

　　Folding sweet jumbo lump crabmeat and chopped scallions into the classic batter of cornmeal and buttermilk dresses up these pups for a party. They're crisp, fluffy, and, truth be told, dangerously easy to eat, especially after a dip in a lemony homemade tartar sauce speckled with parsley, sweet pickles, and capers. For information about crabmeat.

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 40 hors d'oeuvres

　　

For tartar sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

　　1/4 cup finely chopped sweet pickles

　　1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

　　1 1/2 tablespoons chopped drained capers

　　2 teaspoons grainy mustard

　　1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

　　2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

　　1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

　　

For hush puppies:

About 6 cups vegetable oil for frying

　　1 garlic clove

　　2 large eggs

　　1 cup plus 2 tablespoon well-shaken buttermilk (not powdered)

　　3 scallions, finely chopped

　　1 cup cornmeal (preferably stone-ground)

　　3/4 cup all-purpose flour

　　1 teaspoon baking powder

　　1 cup jumbo lump crabmeat (about 7 ounces), picked over

　　Equipment: a deep-fat thermometer

　　

Make tartar sauce:

Step 1

Stir together all ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

　　

Make hush puppies:

Step 2

Preheat oven to 200°F.

　　

Step 3

Heat 2 inches oil to 375°F in a wide 5-quart heavy pot over medium heat. While oil heats, mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt, then whisk together with eggs, buttermilk, and scallions in a bowl.

　　

Step 4

Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl, then stir in buttermilk mixture until just combined. Stir in crabmeat.

　　

Step 5

Working in batches of 10, carefully drop tablespoons of batter into oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden-brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Return oil to 375°F between batches.

　　

Step 6

Serve hush puppies with tartar sauce.

　　

What to drink:

Step 7

Schloss Saarstein 1st Growth Riesling Kabinett '08

　　Cooks' Notes:

　　•Tartar sauce can be made 2 days ahead and chilled.

　　•Hush puppies can be fried 5 hours ahead and chilled (covered once cool). Reheat in 1 layer on a baking sheet in a 450°F oven, about 10 minutes.