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Cornflake-Fried Catfish

Source of Recipe

From "Trisha's Kitchen" by Trisha Yearwood


Recipe Introduction

"I grew up on a farm with a small pond that was home to lots of catfish. Mama would always fry up whatever we caught, and make homemade hush puppies and fries to go alongside. It's such a good memory of great food and wonderful family time. Sometimes she would crush up corn flakes as an alternative to cornmeal to give a little sweet crunch to the fish. These flavorful, crunchy catfish strips are a nod to her. If you like, serve with tartar sauce instead of my spicy r�moulade. We love you and we miss you, Mama!"

List of Ingredients

Spicy R�moulade:
◦ 1 cup mayonnaise
◦ 2 tablespoons hot vinegar peppers, drained and finely chopped
◦ 2 tablespoons pepper juice from the jar of hot peppers
◦ 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
◦ 1 teaspoon sugar
◦ 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
◦ � teaspoon kosher salt

Catfish:
◦ Vegetable oil, for frying
◦ 3 (5- to 6-ounce) catfish fillets
◦ Kosher salt
◦ 10 cups cornflakes (one 12-ounce box)
◦ 1 cup all-purpose flour
◦ � teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
◦ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
◦ 1 teaspoon onion powder
◦ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
◦ � teaspoon cayenne pepper
◦ 2 large eggs
◦ ⅓ cup buttermilk
◦ 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
◦ Hot sauce, for serving


Recipe

Make the r�moulade: In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, peppers and their juice, paprika, sugar, parsley, and salt and set aside.

Make the catfish: Fill a Dutch oven with 3 inches of oil. Clip a deep-fry thermometer to its side and heat the oil over high heat to 360� F. Fit a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack and set it nearby.

Meanwhile, cutting against the grain, slice the catfish fillets into 5- to 6-inch strips, 1 to 1 � inches wide, then season lightly with salt on both sides. Put the cornflakes in a resealable plastic bag, then use a rolling pin to crush them into smaller flakes.

Set up a dredging station with three shallow bowls. In one bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne. In the second bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and mustard. Put the crushed cornflakes in the third bowl. Dip each catfish strip in the flour mixture with one dry hand and shake it off. Then, with your other hand, dip the strip in the egg mixture, shaking off any excess, and add it to the cornflakes. With your dry hand, press the cornflakes into the fish and then set the cornflake-crusted fish on a plate while you dredge the rest.

Working in batches of four or five strips at a time, fry the fish in the hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes, until the catfish feels rigid and is dark golden brown and cooked through. Place on the rack and sprinkle with a little salt. Repeat to fry the remaining fish. Serve with the r�moulade sauce and a dash of your favorite hot sauce.

Serves 4





❧ Pie plates are great to use for dredging fried foods. Designating one of your hands as the dry hand and one as the wet helps get the dredging job done easier!