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Catfish: Catfish Tacos with Tequila Cream Corn

Source of Recipe

Food & Wine, 1997


List of Ingredients

-- Jalapeno Remoulade --
1 small red bell pepper
4 medium jalapeno peppers
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp minced shallot
1 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Kosher salt
Cayenne pepper

-- Catfish Tacos --
2-1/2 lbs. catfish fillets, cut lengthwise into 4x1-inch strips
2 cups buttermilk
8 flour tortillas
3/4 cup masa harina or yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
3 Tbsp cornstarch
Kosher salt
Canola oil, for frying

1/4 head of iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Kosher salt
Tequila Cream Corn (recipe follows)
2 cups pico de gallo or good-quality tomato salsa
1/4 cup grated cotija cheese or crumbled feta
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup sour cream


Recipe

1. Make the Jalapeno Remoulade: Preheat the broiler. Broil the red bell pepper and jalapenos until charred all over. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool. Remove the skin, cores and seeds and finely dice. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the mayonnaise, shallot, cilantro and lime juice. Season the remoulade with salt and cayenne and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

2. Make the Catfish Tacos: In a large bowl, cover the catfish with the buttermilk and refrigerate for 1 hour. Heat a large cast iron skillet. One at a time, cook the tortillas over moderate heat until warmed through, about 15 seconds per side. Stack the tortillas, wrap in aluminum foil and keep warm. On a large plate, combine the masa harina, cornmeal, corn starch and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Remove the catfish strips from the buttermilk, shaking off any excess, and coat them with the cornmeal mixture.

3. Heat 1/2-inch of canola oil in the large skillet. Working in batches, fry the catfish over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer the catfish to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. In a medium bowl, toss the lettuce with the lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread a generous tablespoon of the jalapeno remoulade on half of each tortilla and top with the catfish and lettuce. Fold the tortillas. Spoon the cream corn onto eight large plates and set a taco on top of each. Garnish with the pico de gallo, cheese, cilantro and sour cream. Serve at once.

Makes 8 servings.



TEQUILA CREAM CORN:

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp minced shallot
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2-1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/2 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp tequila
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Kosher salt

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the shallot and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened -- about 1 minute. Add the corn and red bell pepper and cook over moderately high heat just until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the cream and tequila and cook, stirring, until slightly thickned -- 3 to 4 minutes. Just before serving, reheat the corn and stir in the scallions, cilantro and lime juice. Season the corn with salt. (Makes about 2 cups.)