Sesame Crusted Catfish With Sweet And Sour Sauce Food

CORNMEAL-CRUSTED CATFISH

Steps:

• Stir together the milk and 1 heaping tablespoon of the House Seasoning. Pour the milk mixture into a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the filets. Spread the filets in an even layer in the dish, turning to coat each side. Let marinate for about 1 hour in a cool place or the refrigerator.
• Pour enough oil into a large Dutch oven to come 2 inches up the side. Clip a deep-fry thermometer to the pot and heat over medium-high heat until the thermometer reaches 370 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, stir together the cornmeal, flour and remaining 1 heaping tablespoon House Seasoning in a paper bag. Working with a few filets at a time, remove them from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off. Place them in the paper bag and gently turn the bag over several times until the filets are evenly coated with the cornmeal mixture. Remove the filets and place them on a baking sheet while you repeat the process with the remaining filets.
• Working in batches, fry the filets until golden brown and crisp on the outside and moist and flaky inside, adjusting the heat to maintain temperature, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to drain. Serve the filets with lemon wedges.
• Stir together the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

SESAME CRUSTED CATFISH WITH GEECHEE PEANUT SAUCE AND SAUTEED OKRA

Steps:

• Grind 1/2 cup sesame seeds in spice grinder into a rough powder. Leave the other 1/2 cup whole. Combine the sesame powder, sesame seeds, cornmeal, and salt and pepper and place in a shallow bowl.
• Dredge catfish fillets in sesame-cornmeal mix and saute in hot peanut oil until golden brown. Remove catfish, keep warm. Empty skillet of oil and crusty cornmeal. Add new oil to hot pan and saute the fresh sliced okra until it becomes slightly brown, about 8 minutes.
• Place the geechee sauce on the plate and put catfish fillets on top of that. Add another ladle of geechee sauce and put Sauteed okra on top.
• Sweat the peppers, celery, and onion in bacon fat until the onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add red wine and reduce by 1/3. Add tomato and stock. Whisk in roux and peanut butter. Check seasoning. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
• Melt the butter in a saute pan. When the butter is melted, add the flour and stir to combine. Cook slowly over low heat, stirring constantly, until the roux gets dark brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Don't rush it or the roux could burn and become bitter tasting.

SWEET AND SOUR FISH FILLETS

Steps:

• Bring a wok or large pot filled halfway with water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Divide the fish between 2 plates that will fit into the basket layers of a bamboo steamer. Sprinkle the fish with sea salt and freshly ground white pepper. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of the pineapple juice over each plate of fish. Place the plates into the steamer, cover and set on top of the simmering water. Steam the fish until the flesh turns white and pulls apart easily, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the steamer basket from the wok and set aside, keeping the fish covered.
• For the sauce: Place a wok over high heat and when the wok is hot, add the oil. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, less than 1 minute. Add the red peppers and onions and toss to cook until tender, another minute. Add the pineapple chunks and their juice. Add the vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar. Cook until the sauce thickens a bit 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Remove the fish to a platter. Season the sauce if needed and pour over the fish. Garnish with the sliced scallion.

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 WHOLE CATFISH WITH SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

Steps:

• Set aside the cornstarch roux.
• In a 2 1/2 qt pot add vinegar, water, sugar, catsup, plum sauce, ginger and salt and bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes in a medium low heat. Stirring from time to time. Adjust at this point and time to taste. Thicken with the cornstarch roux 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 sweet and sour sweet over the catfish.

SESAME CRUSTED FISH

Steps:

• Marinate fish in the soy and sesame oil for 15 minutes.
• Drain and dust the fish in flour.
• Dip into the egg and then roll in the sesame seeds.
• Deep fry the pieces in 360 degree oil for 4 or 5 minutes. No longer -- the sesame seeds scorch easily and will be bitter.
• Make a simple dipping sauce with some soy sauce diluted with about a 50/50 ratio of water and some fresh grated ginger. Delicious!
• You may need to cook this in two batches so that the temperature of the oil doesn't plummet. The oil needs to maintain a constant 360 temperature if possible.