Catfish With Crispy Kale And Cajun Sauce Recipes

THIN-CUT CATFISH WITH SPILLWAY SAUCE

Steps:

• Fill a large Dutch oven fitted with a deep-frying thermometer halfway with oil and heat to 360 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with paper towels and fit with a wire rack.
• Unwrap the catfish and place on a parchment-lined quarter sheet tray. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill and firm up.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the cornmeal, corn flour and Cajun seasoning in a pie plate or casserole dish. In a second pie plate, beat together the eggs, hot sauce, some salt and pepper and 1/2 cup water.
• Remove the fish from the freezer and use a boning knife to very carefully cut each fillet into thin pieces. (You should be able to get 4 to 5 pieces from each fillet.)
• In batches, dredge the fish through the egg mixture and then through the cornmeal mixture, then add to the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd. Fry, turning as needed, until crisp and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to the prepared wire rack. Repeat with the remaining catfish.
• Serve the catfish with the Spillway Sauce on the side.
• Mix together the mayonnaise, ketchup, Cajun seasoning and Worcestershire in a small bowl.

SOUTHERN FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, mayonnaise, scallions and relish to make a tartar sauce. Refrigerate until needed.
• Heat oil in deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
• Combine cornmeal, Blackfish Spice and salt and pepper, to taste. Dredge catfish fillets in seasoned cornmeal. Deep-fry coated pieces in batches until they are cooked through, about 10 minutes. (For basic reference, use the manufacturer's instructions for your deep fryer for similar foods, then test the fish see that it is fork tender.) Allow to drain on paper towels and serve with tartar sauce and fresh lemon wedges (to squeeze lemon juice over the fish).

CATFISH FINGERS WITH CAJUN REMOULADE SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce: In the bowl of a food processor, add the onions, celery and capers and process until finely chopped. Mix the chopped vegetables with the mayonnaise, relish, seafood seasoning, pepper and celery salt.
• For the catfish: Preheat the deep fryer to 325 degrees F. In the bowl of a food processor, add the cornmeal, flour, pecans, seafood seasoning and celery salt and pulse until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Dip the catfish slices in the eggs, then coat the catfish in the cornmeal mixture. Fry the fish until golden brown. Serve the hot catfish with remoulade sauce on the side.

CATFISH SANDWICH WITH REMOULADE

Steps:

• For the remoulade: In medium mixing bowl, whisk together the ketchup, mayo, vinegar, capers and horseradish. Then add the celery, onions and anchovies to the above mixture. Then add the dry mustard, paprika, salt/pepper blend and cayenne. Mix well and store up to 7 days. Best to prepare 1 day in advance and do not puree or pulse the vegetables, they should be hand cut. Yield: 1 1/2 cups.
• For the catfish: Preheat the oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F. Then toast the buns in a skillet with warmed butter over medium heat until light brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
• In batches, lightly coat the fish fillets with the flour/spice mixture, tap off excess any flour and then dip the fillets into the egg wash. Finally finish the fillets in the cornmeal. Then drop the breaded fillets in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the fish from the oil and allow any excess oil to drip off.
• To build the sandwiches, toss the lettuce with the remoulade, and then place on the bottom bun. Add the tomatoes, onions, fish and the top bun. Serve.

SPICY CATFISH TENDERS WITH CAJUN TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare fish:
• Whisk together egg and hot sauce in a wide shallow dish. Stir in fish strips and let stand at room temperature at least 10 and up to 30 minutes.
• Pour enough oil into a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot to measure 2 inches and heat over moderate heat until thermometer registers 350°F.
• Stir together flour, cornmeal, salt, and Cajun seasoning in another wide shallow dish.
• Make tartar sauce:
• Stir together all sauce ingredients in a bowl and chill, covered, until ready to serve.
• Fry fish:
• Drain fish well in a colander. Dredge one fourth of fish in flour mixture, shaking off excess, then transfer to oil and fry, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon, until golden and just cooked through, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Return oil to 350°F. Repeat procedure with remaining fish strips in 3 batches.
• Serve fish tenders hot with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
• *Available for order: BlueChef (bluechef.com), The Spice Hunter (800-444-3016), and Mc Cormick (AASpices.com).