Hush Puppie Battered Catfish Recipes

SWEET ONION AND CATFISH HUSH PUPPIES WITH COMEBACK SAUCE

Steps:

• For the comeback sauce: Combine mayonnaise, sambal, ketchup, lemon juice, hot sauce, smoked paprika, Worcestershire, garlic powder, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together until the mixture is smooth and everything is well incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• For the whipped sorghum butter: Add the butter, molasses and salt to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or to a medium bowl if you're using a hand mixer or whisk. Mix on medium speed until well-combined and the butter is lightened and fluffy.
• For the catfish: Combine the catfish with salt and sugar in a bowl. Refrigerate.
• For the hush puppies: Combine cornmeal with sugar, salt, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper and cayenne in a medium bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine these dry ingredients. Whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a separate bowl until there are no specks of egg and it becomes a smooth and homogenous mixture.
• Retrieve the quick-cured catfish from the fridge, and add the catfish and diced onion to the dry ingredient mixture. Quickly stir together to coat the onion and catfish bits with cornmeal and spices. Add the buttermilk and egg and mix quickly with a spatula or wooden spoon until everything is well combined and the batter stiffens up pretty quickly as the cornmeal soaks up the buttermilk. Cover your batter and refrigerate for a few minutes while you prepare your pot for frying.
• Add vegetable oil to a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven no larger than 8 inches across-it's necessary for deep frying to have at least 2 inches of oil. Heat the oil over medium heat, bringing it up to 350 degrees F, using a thermometer to check the temperature. (If you don't have a thermometer, you can tell that the oil is ready when you add a small pinch of flour and it immediately sizzles and fries. You can fry without a thermometer if you're feeling bold, but just be careful that your oil doesn't get too hot or cold-you could either burn your hush puppies or end up with greasy ones-and no one wants that!)
• Once the oil is up to 350 degrees F, pull your batter from the fridge and begin to scoop it into the hot oil. We like to use a 3/4-ounce cookie scoop, but you could also use two spoons to scoop and drop roughly tablespoon-sized dollops into the hot oil. Fry as many hush puppies as comfortably fit into the pot at once-they should definitely have some room to expand and get crispy. It's okay to fry in several batches.
• Fry the hush puppies for 2 minutes, then turn them over and fry until golden brown and fluffy on the inside, another 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider, moving them to a plate or tray lined with paper towels to help drain any excess oil. Sprinkle the hush puppies with a little salt while they're still hot. Repeat this process until all your hush puppies are cooked and seasoned.
• Pile the hushpuppies into a dish for serving and garnish with a nice sprinkle of the chives. Serve them nice and hot with 1 cup comeback sauce and 1/4 cup whipped sorghum butter, or your favorite sauces.

SOUTHERN FRIED CATFISH WITH HUSH PUPPIES

Steps:

• 1. HUSH PUPPY BATTER: Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Add milk, onion and egg. Stir until well combined. Set aside. Mixture will be a little thick.
• 2. Rinse catfish and pat dry with paper towels. Combine cornmeal, flour, salt and red pepper in shallow dish. Dip fish in cornmeal mixture. Heat 1" of oil in large, heavy saucepan over medium heat until oil registers 375 degrees.
• 3. Fry fish, a few pieces at a time, 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and fish flakes easily when tested with fork. Adjust heat to maintain temperature. Drain fish on paper towels.
• 4. TO MAKE HUSH PUPPIES: Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into hot oil. Fry, a few pieces at a time, 2 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 24 hush puppies.

MISSISSIPPI CATFISH AND HUSH PUPPIES

Steps:

• 1. CAT FISH:Pour oil into a large cast iron or heavy bottom skillet to a depth of 3 inches; heat over medium high heat until hot but NOT smoking. 350 - 360 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• 2. Meanwhile, combine corn meal, flour, seasoned salt, garlic salt, lemon pepper, cayenne, and black pepper to taste in a large shallow dish. Thoroughly dredge catfish fillets, gently shaking off excess.
• 3. Work in 2 batches to avoid crowding, fry catfish in hot oil. It takes about 5-6 minutes on one side before turning or until golden brown. Transfer fillets with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Season with salt to taste.
• 4. HUSH PUPPIES: Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl and make a well in the center of mixture.
• 5. Combine egg and next 4 ingredients, stir well, add to dry ingredients in the well, stirring just until moistened.
• 6. Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches into a Dutch Oven or large sauce pan heat to 375 degrees.
• 7. Drop batter by rounded tablespoon fulls into oil, fry in batches. 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve while hot.

HUSHPUPPY-BATTERED CATFISH NUGGETS WITH SPICY TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together hushpuppy mix, milk, water, egg, jalapenos, hot pepper sauce and cayenne; let stand 5 minutes.
• Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a large deep skillet; heat oil to 350 degrees F.
• Pat catfish fillets dry with paper towels, and cut into bite-size pieces. Dredge catfish pieces in flour, and then dip in hushpuppy batter mixture. Drop catfish pieces into hot oil, and fry, in batches, 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden. Serve with Spicy Tartar Sauce.
• Stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

THE CATFISH PLACE'S HUSH PUPPIES

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep fryer or skillet to 375 degrees F.
• Mix together the sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic salt and pepper. Mix together the milk, onions and egg in a blender until they are a milkshake consistency
• Whisk together the 2 mixtures and let sit until bubbles begin to form, about 5 minutes.
• Mix together the cornmeal and flour and gradually whisk in the wet mixture. The batter should be thick like cookie dough.
• Drop hush puppies into the hot oil by using a teaspoon until they bounce to the surface, about 2 minutes. Continue frying until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes
• Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

MISSISSIPPI CATFISH AND HUSHPUPPIES

Steps:

• Hushpuppies: Mix first 6 ingredients in mixing bowl. Add buttermilk as needed until batter reaches a thick, mashed potato-like consistency. Refrigerate for 45 minutes to 1 hour before using. Heat peanut oil to 325 degrees F. Using 2 teaspoons to drop the batter, dip the first teaspoon into water and then fill with hushpuppy batter. Use the other teaspoon to rake the batter into the oil. Cook for approximately 4 minutes until golden brown. The hushpuppies should roll over in the oil by themselves. If they do not, you may have to turn them.
• For the Catfish: Put first 6 ingredients into a large brown paper bag. Roll down the top and shake until well-mixed. Cut catfish in half lengthwise. Pat dry with paper towel. Mix milk and hot sauce. Dip catfish in milk bath, put in paper bag with breading and shake until covered. Place catfish into pot with about 4 inches of peanut oil heated to about 325 to 350 degrees F. Cook until brown and firm, about 6 to 7 minutes.

SOUTHERN FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix buttermilk, water, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture into a flat pan large enough to hold the fillets. Spread fish in one layer over bottom of pan, turning to coat each side, and set aside to marinate.
• In a 2 gallon resealable plastic bag, combine the cornmeal, flour, and seafood seasoning. Add fish to mixture, a few fillets at a time, and tumble gently to coat evenly.
• Heat oil in deep fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
• Deep fry fillets until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Avoid overcrowding so fillets have room to brown properly. Fish should be slightly crisp outside, and moist and flaky inside. Drain on paper towels.

CATFISH PARLOUR HUSH PUPPIES

Steps:

• Place one gallon of water in a large pot.
• Add the sugar,slat, garlic and onion.
• Bring to a rolling boil.
• Turn the flame off and stir in the corn meal. The mush will be very stiff, so stiff that it is difficult to stir.
• When mixed, scrape the mush out in a dishpan, flatten out on top and allow to cool.
• Later, if a skin has formed on top, peel it off and discard it.
• Knead the mush until pliable and easy to work with.
• Pinch off whatever size pieces you want the hugh puppies to be and form them by hand just as you would do with modeling clay. Make each hush puppy out of a rope or tube you've rolled between your palms. I like mine the length of about 4 inches, and the diameter of a kindergartner's chunky pencil.
• Deep fry at 350 degrees until they are hard on the outside.
• Do not put too many in the fryer at once because the oil will get too cool.
• Prep time includes the time for the mush to cool.