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Skillet-Fried Catfish with Herb Tartar Sauce

Source of Recipe

From "Sara Foster's Southern Kitchen" by Sara Foster


Recipe Introduction

"It may not be deep-fried, but with a satisfyingly crunchy cornmeal crust, this skillet-fried catfish has all the flavors and textures that you would expect from fried fish. Most important, served with a healthy dollop of Herb Tartar Sauce or a heap of Roxy's Grated Coleslaw, lemon wedges, and cold beer, it is just as sure to draw a crowd. This recipe can also be made with snapper, flounder, or any other flaky white fish."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ Four 6- to 8-ounce catfish fillets, about ½ inch thick (1 ½ to 2 pounds), or snapper or flounder
â—¦ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
â—¦ 1 large egg
â—¦ Dash of hot sauce
â—¦ â…” cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ â…” cup yellow cornmeal
â—¦ Pinch of ground cayenne pepper
â—¦ Canola oil, for frying
â—¦ Herb Tartar Sauce
â—¦ 1 white onion, thinly sliced
â—¦ 1 lemon, cut into wedges


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 200° F. Line a baking sheet with a brown paper bag.

Rinse the catfish and pat dry. Slice each fillet lengthwise into 3 long strips and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Combine the buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce in a shallow bowl and stir to mix. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, and cayenne, season with salt and black pepper, and stir to mix.

Pour canola oil into a large skillet about ¼ inch deep and place over medium-high heat until sizzling hot.

Dip each piece of fish in the buttermilk mixture, then dredge in the flour mixture to evenly coat both sides, shaking off any excess flour. Without overcrowding the skillet — you may need to fry in batches — place the fish in the hot oil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning only once, until golden brown and crispy. If the fish is browning too quickly, reduce the heat to medium.

Remove the fish from the skillet and drain on the lined baking sheet. Place the pan in the oven to keep warm while you fry the remaining fish, adding more oil to the skillet if needed. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired, and serve hot with Herb Tartar Sauce, raw onion, and lemon wedges to squeeze over the fish.

Serves 4 to 6



Herb Tartar Sauce:

â—¦ 1 cup your favorite or homemade mayonnaise
â—¦ ½ cup fresh herbs, such as tarragon, basil, chives, parsley, cilantro, scallions, or a combination
â—¦ 2 tablespoons sour cream
â—¦ 2 small dill pickles, chopped
â—¦ 2 small sweet pickles, chopped
â—¦ 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
â—¦ 1 jalapeño pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
â—¦ 2 tablespoons grated red onion
â—¦ 2 tablespoons capers
â—¦ 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
â—¦ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
â—¦ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the mayonnaise, herbs, sour cream, dill pickles, sweet pickles, egg, jalapeño, onion, capers, pickle juice, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste in a blender or food processor and pulse to blend to a chunky sauce. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve, or for up to 4 days.

Makes about 1 ½ cups