Fried Catfish

Serves people

Instructions

  1. Wash the catfish, and if necessary remove skin and any remaining bones. Unless the catfish is very small, cut the fillets on the bias into strips about an inch and a half wide.
  2. Blend the mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce and pickle juice in a bowl. Put the catfish fillets into the bowl toss them to coat with the marinade. Allow to marinate for about a half hour, refrigerated.
  3. In a large, rounded bowl, combine the corn flour, corn meal, salt and granulated garlic with a fork. Put four to six pieces of catfish in the bowl and, agitating the bowl, coat the catfish well with the mixture.
  4. Heat the oil to 375 degrees. When it's ready, put five or six pieces of catfish in and cook to the proverbial golden brown. Remove with a skimmer (or, better, the wire mini-basket on a stick that Asian cooks use). Don't drain the fish on paper towels--it makes the coating soggy. Use a large wire strainer or that flat screen that's supposed to keep bacon fat from popping.
  5. Serve with tartar sauce and pickles and hot sauce. For a really outrageous treat, coat some sliced dill pickles in the same coating you used on the fish and fry them at the same time. And hush puppies (see recipe on page 00).

Ingredient List