Crispy Cayenne Cocktail Catfish Food

WILL'S SPICY NEW ORLEANS CATFISH FRIES

Steps:

• Lay catfish fillet horizontally on cutting board. Cut thin 1/4 inch wide strips from the filet at a 45 degree angle. This is easy if your knife is sharp, and the filet is partly frozen.
• Dust fish strips moderately with cayenne pepper, and gently tumble together to evenly coat all strips. They should look pink all over when you are through. On the Bayou, this is called a dry marinade. Place catfish strips on a plate or pan, and set aside for a few minutes to thaw.
• Heat oil in deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Place enough corn flour to bread your catfish on a bowl or plate, and season with salt and black pepper.
• Place thawed catfish into seasoned corn flour, and tumble gently until all strips are evenly coated. Deep fry in hot oil for about 3 minutes, or until done. Fish should be golden brown, slightly crisp outside, and moist and flaky inside when done.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN-FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 200 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a rack in the pan.
• Arrange the catfish in a wide, shallow bowl or pie plate. Pour the buttermilk over the fish.
• Combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, paprika, cayenne, and garlic powder on a pie plate.
• Take the fish out of the buttermilk and dredge the fish fillets in the flour mixture to coat thoroughly. Shake off excess flour mixture.
• Heat up 1 inch of oil in a deep, heavy skillet or heavy Dutch oven over high heat.
• The oil must be 350 F. Use a candy thermometer or drop a pinch of the flour mixture into the oil-if it bubbles and floats, the oil is ready. Just be mindful of maintaining the oil temperature while cooking the fish. Don't overcrowd the pan, as doing so will lower the oil temperature.
• Carefully place 2 to 3 fillets in the pan.
• Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until golden brown. If the oil isn't deep enough to cover the fish, turn the fillets carefully after about 3 minutes.
• Remove the fish to the rack in the baking pan and place in the oven while you cook another batch. Repeat until all of the fish fillets are cooked. Serve hot with your favorite sides.

CRUNCHY CATFISH NUGGETS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix dry bread crumbs and lemon pepper. Place egg substitute in a separate small bowl. Dip catfish pieces in the egg substitute, then into the bread crumb mixture to coat.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Place coated catfish pieces in the hot oil. Fry on both sides until lightly browned and fish is easily flaked with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

CRISPY BUFFALO STYLE CATFISH

Steps:

• Combine cornmeal, flour, ground chili powder, cayenne to taste, garlic powder, salt, and pepper on a shallow dish.
• Coat each fillet in the beaten egg, then dredge in the cornmeal mixture.
• Place breaded fillets in a single layer on a plate, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set breading.
• In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 Tbsp of the butter together with the oil.
• Take chilled fillets from refrigerator and brown them until golden brown on each side and cooked through, about 4 to 6 minutes per side.
• Transfer cooked fish to serving plates.
• Over low heat, heat remaining butter in the same pan you cooked the fish in; sauté the minced onion and minced garlic clove for 3 minutes, then stir in the hot pepper sauce, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to get up the cooked bits.
• Divide the sauce between the 4 servings and drizzle over the fillets.
• Serve fillets immediately with good blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.

CRISPY CATFISH

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, whick together the egg and milk.
• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the cereal, flour, cornmeal and seasonings.
• Dip the fish fillets into egg mixture, then coat with cereal mixture.
• In a large skillet, heat 1/4-inch of oil over medium-high heat.
• Fry the fillets for 5-7 minutes on each side.

HOMEMADE CRISPY FISH STICK RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven broiler and make sure you have a rack in the middle position in your oven.
• Prep a large rimmed baking sheet with foil, and spray with non stick spray.
• Pat the cod fillet dry with some paper towel. Then cut into 1 inch strips.
• Prepare your assembly line with 3 shallow bowls: 1. mix the flour and salt together 2. beat the egg with the Dijon mustard and (optional) cayenne pepper. 3. combine the Panko with the onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
• Start by dipping a cod strip in the flour mixture, then in the egg, finally dredge in the panko mixture and lightly press to make sure it adheres.
• Lay the coated fish stick on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat this process with all the fish sticks.
• Spray the top side of the coated fish sticks with the non stick spray.
• Pop in the preheated oven, on the middle oven rack, for about 4 minutes. Flip the fish sticks and broil for another 3-4 minutes. Your fish sticks should reach 145° internal temp to be cooked through.
• Serve with Homemade Tartar Sauce on the side (recipe link in notes).

CRISPY CATFISH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Mix cornmeal, breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic salt and pepper.
• Lightly brush dressing on all sides of fish.
• Coat fish with cornmeal mixture.
• Place fish on rack in broiler pan. Bake, uncovered, 15 to 18 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.

CRISPY CAYENNE COCKTAIL CATFISH

Steps:

• Combine the catfish with the zest of one lime, the juice of both limes, the cayenne flakes, and the vermouth. Let marinate about 1 hour.
• Drain catfish well.
• Heat 1/2 an inch of oil, half olive and half canola, in a skillet on medium to medium high. (When ready a drop of water will sizzle but the oil won't be hot enough to smoke).
• Beat egg into milk in a shallow bowl.
• Combine 1/4 cup flour with salt and pepper to taste.
• Combine remaining dry ingredients in a plastic bag.
• Dip each piece of fish into the flour then into the egg/milk mixture. Shake in breading bag until well coated.
• Fry pieces in the hot oil until the first side is browned. Do not crowd the pieces in the pan. Turn and brown the other side. Repeat until all batches are done.
• Serve with hot sauce, additional cayenne pepper flakes, lime wedges, and lemon wedges available at the table.
• I suggest completing the meal with baked sweet potatoes and cole slaw.
• Note: Today's farm-raised catfish is almost never muddy-tasting, but if yours is wild-caught the lime and vermouth marinade will eliminate the problem.

SPICY CATFISH CAKES

Steps:

• Cook potato in microwave for 5 minutes, until tender, cool, peel, mash.
• In a large bowl, add catfish, egg, potato, mayo, mustard, onion powder, parsley, hot sauce, cayenne, salt, pepper, basil.
• Mix well.
• Shape into eight patties, make sure they're uniform in thickness.
• Coat with cracker crumbs.
• Heat oil (about 1/4 inch deep) in a large non-stick skillet.
• Cook patties, a few at a time, until browned on both sides.
• Serve with tartar sauce if desired.