Legend has it that since southern kitchens were built separate from the main house, the ladies each carried their prepared suppers 'down the path' around sunset for the evening meal. As soon as they left the kitchen, dogs would come yappin'. One day, a wise elder figured out a way to fry little corncakes which she could toss to the dogs on her way to the main house. This, she realized, hushed the puppies!

Pan-Fried Catfish with Hush Puppies

4 (6 to 8-ounce) catfish fillets
1 cup fine yellow stone ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/4 cup bacon fat
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Lemon slices

1. Rinse the fillets and pat dry.
2. Combine the bacon fat and the oil in a large skillet and heat until almost smoking. Quickly dredge the fish in the cornmeal mixture and carefully lay in the pan, being careful not to crowd.
3. While the fish browns, transfer the remaining cornmeal mixture to a small bowl and add the onion, flour, baking powder, and milk. Stir until just mixed and somewhat thicker than a batter, but a bit thinner than a dough.
4. Turn the fish and add the hush-puppy mixture, a tablespoonful at a time, to the pan, one for each fillet. Turn the hush puppies as they brown, lowering the heat just slightly to allow the hush puppies and fish to cook through.
5. When the fish and hush puppies are done, transfer them to a hot platter, and garnish with lemon slices.

Serves 4.