Fried Catfish & Hush Puppies with Spicy Mayo Tartar Sauce
RECIPE
Prepare frying pot by adding 2-3qt/L (depending on size of pot) of neutral oil to a large heavy bottom pot and heat over medium high until it reaches a temp of 350F/175C. Be sure your pot is not filled more than halfway up the sides with oil.
FREID CATFISH
▪2lbs/1kg thawed american catfish filets (use fresh catfish if you can find it. I couldn’t find it in my area so I used thawed. Sub tilapia if you can’t find catfish)
▪100g or 3/4c ap flour
▪15g or 1.5Tbsp salt
▪5g or 2tsp black pepper
▪10g or 2tsp garlic powder
▪10g or 2 3/4tsp onion powder
▪5g or 2tsp paprika
▪2g or 3/4tsp cayenne
▪100g or 1/2c medium grind corn meal
▪100g or 2/3c finely ground corn meal (blitz medium grind in blender/food processor)
▪500g or 2c buttermilk (or sour cream and milk)
▪30g or 2Tbsp hot sauce
Cut filets on a bias so that you have pieces that are roughly the same weight. Set on a wire rack and salt both sides of fillets. Allow to cure for 20 minutes
In a bowl, stir together flour, 15g salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and corn meal.
In a separate bowl, stir together buttermilk and hot sauce.
To bread the fish, drop each fillet into the buttermilk mix to coat. Drain off well then drop fillet into dry mixture and coat well. Toss back and forth in your hands to remove excess batter.
Carefully lower filets away from your body into preheated 350F/175C oil, frying 2 at a time, for about 4-5 minutes flipping filets over halfway through. Fish is done with it’s crispy and golden brown.
Transfer to wire rack or towels to drain why you fry the rest.
HUSHPUPPIES
▪65g or 1/2c ap flour
▪150g or 3/4c + 2Tbsp med-fine grind cornmeal
▪8g or 1/2Tbsp salt
▪10g or 2tsp baking powder
▪10g or 2 1/2tsp sugar
▪2g or 3/4tsp cayenne
▪75g or 2/3c onions, small diced
▪25g or 1.5tbsp melted unsalted butter
▪1 egg
▪200g or 3/4c + 1 1/2Tbsp buttermilk (or milk + sour cream)
For the batter, whisk together 65g ap flour, med-fine grind corn meal, salt, baking powder, sugar, cayenne, onions, melted butter, egg, and buttermilk.
Carefully drop large spoonfuls of batter (working in 2 batches) into hot oil and fry for about 2.5 minutes, flipping over halfway through. Puppies are done when they’re crispy and dark golden brown.
Remove from oil and drain on wire rack.
SPICY MAYO TARTAR SAUCE
▪100g or 1/2c mayo
▪75g or 1/4c ketchup
▪30g or 2Tbsp hot sauce
▪20g or 1 1/2Tbsp yellow mustard
▪25g or 1 1/2Tbsp lemon juice
▪15g or 3 1/2Tbsp worcestershire
▪25g or 2.5Tbsp shallot
▪1 garlic clove
▪3g or 1tsp paprika
▪3g or 1tsp black pepper
▪3g or 1tsp salt
Spin ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
