Whole Fried Catfish With Ginger Shrimp Sauce Recipes

CRISPY SOUTHERN FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Combine cornmeal, seasoned salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a shallow dish.
• Pour milk into a separate dish.
• Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Dip a catfish fillet in the milk, and shake off any excess.
• Transfer milk-soaked fish to the cornmeal mixture and gently roll to coat on both sides.
• Repeat with remaining fillets.
• Place fish in the hot skillet and cook until golden brown on each side (about 5-7 minutes per side). The fish will flake easily with a fork when it's done.
• Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to cook the fish in batches. Don't overcrowd the skillet! Feel free to wipe out the pan and use additional butter/oil, as necessary, for subsequent batches.
• Drain fish on paper towels.
• Serve warm, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and a lemon wedge, if desired.

OVEN-FRIED CATFISH WITH RéMOULADE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make fish:
• Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in middle.
• Brush a baking pan with 2 tablespoons oil.
• Combine bread crumbs, cornmeal, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large sealable plastic bag and shake to mix.
• Season fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Working with 1 piece at a time, dip fish in eggs, letting excess drip off, then put in bag and shake to coat well with crumbs.
• Transfer fish to baking pan and bake until undersides are golden, about 6 minutes. Drizzle fish with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, then carefully turn over and cook until golden and just cooked thourough, about 6 minutes more.
• Make rémoulade while fish bakes:
• Whisk together all rémoulade ingredients and salt to taste. Serve fish with sauce on the side.

WHOLE SIZZLING CATFISH WITH GINGER AND PONZU SAUCE

Steps:

• Make three 2-inch slits on each side of each catfish.
• Stuff each slit with a slice of ginger.
• Pour enough peanut oil into a wok or a large, deep skillet so that it will cover catfish completely when frying.
• Heat oil until sizzling hot.
• Fry catfish in the hot oil, one at a time, turning to cook on all sides until golden brown and crispy and fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Place on serving plates and squeeze lemon juice over the hot catfish.
• Garnish with fried mushrooms, enoki mushrooms and greens.
• Serve with a bowl of ponzu sauce.
• For Ponzu Sauce: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
• Makes 1 cup.

GINGER CATFISH (TREY CHA K'NYEI)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and cook, stirring, until brown and crisp, about 7 minutes. Add the fish, stir gently until thoroughly mixed with the ginger and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce and salt and stir well. Stir in the onion and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the red pepper and scallions and cook for another 2 minutes, then serve.

FRIED CATFISH WITH CHIVE-GINGER SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, grated ginger, garlic and golden brown sugar in small bowl to blend. Mix in 3 tablespoons chopped chives. (Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Press 1 tablespoon chopped chives onto both sides of fish. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Dredge fish in flour; shake off excess.
• Pour peanut oil into heavy large skillet to depth of 1/4 inch. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add catfish fillets to skillet and cook until crisp outside and just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer catfish to paper towels to drain. Place catfish on plates. Pour sauce over. Garnish catfish with whole chives and serve immediately.

FRIED WHOLE CATFISH WITH SPICY BLACK BEAN SAUCE

Steps:

• In a saucepan add oil, black bean, chili flakes, ginger and garlic and lightly sauté. Add in sugar, oyster sauce, clam juice and cornstarch roux to lightly thicken and keep warm.
• Take the whole catfish and clean inside and outside and with a chef knife make 3 slice along the side of the catfish about 2" apart and season with salt the inside and outside and cover the catfish with cornstarch and pat off extras cornstarch.
• In a wok halfway fill with oil over a high heat to 350° and place the catfish head first and lower catfish into the hot oil and deep fry to a golden brown and with a wok spatula of hot oil pour over the catfish. Place the cooked catfish onto a large serving platter and pour the spicy black bean sauce over the catfish.