Fried Creole Catfish Food

FRIED CATFISH TOPPED WITH CRAWFISH AU GRATIN SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce: In a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the onions, peppers and garlic until wilted. Add the flour and stir until a blond roux is achieved, about 2 minutes. Stir in the sugar, chicken base, crab base, granulated garlic, basil, black pepper, cayenne pepper and thyme. Add the milk and wine and cook over medium heat until the milk thickens, stirring constantly, about 6 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until the cheese melts and fully incorporates into the sauce. Add the crawfish tails and cook until heated through, about 4 minutes. Add the green onions just before serving.
• For the catfish: Sprinkle the catfish with Creole seasoning. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and add the milk. Coat the catfish in flour and dip in the milk/egg mixture, then coat with cornmeal. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large skillet. Fry the catfish until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Serve the catfish with the crawfish au gratin sauce.

SOUTHERN-STYLE OVEN-FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a 13x9 glass baking dish with the oil, and set aside.
• Rinse the catfish fillets, and pat dry. In a shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, creole seasoning, paprika, sugar, and black pepper. Combine the eggs and hot sauce or water in a another bowl. Dip the fillets in the egg mixture, dredge in the cornmeal mixture, and arrange in the baking pan.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown. Turn once during cooking. Place catfish on a paper-towel lined plate, and serve immediately with additional hot sauce.

SEARED CATFISH CREOLE

Steps:

• Pat the catfish dry, and spread a layer of mustard over the surface. Place the cracked pepper onto a plate, and press the coated catfish into the pepper so it is well covered.
• Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the catfish for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until fish flakes with a fork.

CLASSIC FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• COMBINE first 5 ingredients in a large shallow dish.
• Sprinkle fish with 1/4 teaspoon salt; dredge in cornmeal mixture, coating evenly.
• POUR oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches into a deep cast-iron skillet; heat to 350 degrees;.
• Fry fish, in batches, 5 to 6 minutes or until golden; drain on paper towels.

CATFISH CREOLE

Steps:

• Melt butter in wide frying pan or dutch oven over medium heat; add onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Cook until soft (about 7 minutes); add tomatoes, lemon zest and juice, Worcestershire, paprika, bay leaf, salt, thyme and Tabasco. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened.
• Press fish pieces down into sauce; spoon some of the sauce over the top of fish. Cover pan and simmer gently until fish flakes readily when prodded in thickest portion with a fork. For a 1 1/2 inch-thick piece of fish (measured in thickest portion), allow 15 minutes.
• To serve, spoon fish and sauce over cooked rice or add a bit of rice right to the pan.

FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Dry raw catfish using a paper towel.
• Season fish with creole seasoning to your preference or taste.
• Cover catfish in a dry cornmeal dredge. No wet needed here.
• Place the catfish in a fryer for 11 minutes at 350ºF or until it is golden brown or fill a pan with 1 inch of canola oil and fry fish.
• Remove fish when crispy and plate with lemon wedge on top and curly parsley.

PAN FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Rinse the fillets and pat them dry with paper towels. Mix the cornmeal, flour, salt, creole seasoning, paprika, and pepper together in a shallow dish. Pour the milk into a second shallow dish. Dip the fillets into the milk and then into the cornmeal mixture, coating them well and shaking of any excess.
• Heat 1/2 the butter in a large skillet over high heat, and fry 2 of the fillets for about 3 minutes on each side, or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
• Transfer the fillets to a serving platter and keep warm. Repeat with remaining butter and fillets. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges.

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.

FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Whisk 3 tablespoons salt, hot pepper sauce, and 8 cups hot water in a large bowl until salt dissolves. Chill in freezer until cold, about 30 minutes. Place catfish in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 3 hours.
• Whisk cornmeal, next 5 ingredients, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Attach deep-fry thermometer to the side of a 10" cast-iron skillet or other large heavy skillet. Add oil to come a little less than halfway up side of skillet. Heat over medium heat until thermometer reads 335°F.
• Rinse catfish; pat dry. Dredge catfish in cornmeal mixture, shaking off excess. Working with 2 fillets at a time, fry catfish, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crispy, 10-12 minutes per batch. Transfer fish to paper towels to drain.