This dish is markedly better if the sauce is prepared 1 day in advance, which makes it an excellent choice for a dinner party. The catfish is cooked at the last minute and served over hot cooked rice; the reheated sauce is poured over the top.

Sauce:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 green onions, white parts only, thinly sliced
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 1 small bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 cup seafood stock
• 1 pound peeled Louisiana crawfish tails with fat
• salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

Catfish:

• 4 catfish fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each
• salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups hot cooked rice
• thinly sliced green onion tops for garnish

Catfish Evangeline

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• grapeseed or canola oil
• kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup medium-grind
• yellow cornmeal
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 12 ounces dark beer, such as Modelo Negra)
• 1 large egg
• 1 pound boneless, skinless catfish fillets ( or other firm white fish, like
• tilapia, red snapper, or striped bass), cut into 1 by 3-inch strips
• ASSEMBLY
• 4 or 8 corn tortillas
• Meyer Lemon Tartar Sauce (recipe follows
• thinly sliced watermelon radishes
• shredded green cabbage Chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• meyer lemon wedges, for serving

Meyer Lemon Tartar Sauce

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon finely grated shallot
• 1 teaspoon finely grated Meyer lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh Mayer lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Crystal hot sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Beer-Battered Fish Tacos

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• 4 catfish fillets, 6-8 oz (185-250 g) each
• 5 Tbsp (3 fl oz/80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for coating Cajun Spice Rub (below)
• 1 strip applewood-smoked bacon, finely diced
• 8 handfuls baby spinach leaves or baby arugula leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• ½-1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cajun Spice Rub:

This rub adds contrasting color and a spicy taste to mild white catfish. The salt in the rub helps the spices to penetrate the flesh of the fish and imbue it with flavor. To make this rub, in a small bowl, combine 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, 1 Tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika, 1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and ground, and 1 tsp dried thyme, crumbled. Makes enough to coat 4 large fish fillets.

Cajun-Spiced Catfish Fillets

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• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 6-ounce catfish fillets, skinned

Blackened Catfish

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• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
• 6 (6-ounce) domestic catfish fillets, rinsed and patted dry
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 sprigs fresh dill
• 1 lemon, sliced into 6 thin rounds

Paper Sack Catfish

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• 4 cups yellow corn meal
• 1 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes ½ teaspoon cayenne
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 12 catfish fillets (about 8 ounces each).
• cut in half crosswise
• 24 slices white sandwich bread
• Mayonnaise, for serving (optional)
• Pickle relish, for serving (optional)
• 1 Vidalia or other sweet onion, sliced into ¼-inch rounds

Fried Catfish Sandwiches

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• ¼ cup milk
• 4 6-ounce wild-caught catfish fillets
• salt and pepper OR Creole seasoning
• 1 cup packaged fish fry or corn meal
• cooking oil
• po’ boy rolls, lettuce, tomatoes, dill pickles, cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, for serving

Fried Catfish Po'Boy

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• 1 cup whole-grain Dijon mustard 
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten 
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce 
• 1 pound catfish fillets, cut into strips 
• 1/2 cup white or yellow cornmeal 
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups peanut oil, for frying 

Country Remoulade

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 2 to 3 green onions, white and pale green parts only, finley chopped
• 1 tablespoon chepped fresh chives
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon hot sauce
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fried Catfish Fingers with Country Remoulade

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• vegetable oil divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• salt and cayenne pepper to taste
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
• 1 cup flaked cooked catfish
• 1/2 cup jalapeno cheese, shredded
• 1½ cups cooked white rice
• 1/4 cup onion, minced
• 1/4 cup celery, minced
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper, minced

Spicy Fried Catfish Puffballs

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• 5 catfish fillets (3 to 4 ounces each), boneless and skinless

Southwest Marinade:

• 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

Cilantro Lime Aioli:

• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoon low fat mayo
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Crunchy Pecan Topping:

• 5 tablespoons pecans, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon margarine
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Zest of 1 lime

Corn/Pepper Relish:

• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 poblano pepper diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels cut off the cob or frozen sweet corn kernels 
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Plate Garnish:

• 1 tablespoon of aioli
• Cilantro Chopped 

Southwest Okie Catfish

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