Tonight’s Cajun-style meal centers on the irresistible textures of our pan-fried catfish. To help tenderize the fillets and seal in their moisture as they fry, we’re first marinating the catfish in milk and vinegar (a mixture similar to buttermilk). We’re then dredging it with flour twice over, to achieve an authentically dense crust—accented by the delicate crunch of a zesty slaw. A side of potatoes mashed with fresh parsley completes this dinner on an herbaceous note.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 Catfish Fillets
- 3/4 c Milk
- 1/2 c All-Purpose Flour
- 3/4 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 1/2 lb Napa Cabbage
- 1 Parsley
- 3 tbsp Mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp Cajun Spice Blend (Smoked Paprika, Ground Yellow Mustard, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Dried Oregano, Dried Thyme & Ground Cayenne Pepper)
Instructions
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients & marinate the catfish:
Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Peel and medium dice the potatoes. Cut out and discard the cabbage core; thinly slice the leaves crosswise. Finely chop the parsley leaves and stems. Pat the catfish fillets dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. To make the marinade, in a large bowl, combine ¾ of the milk and half the vinegar. Add the seasoned fillets and set aside to marinate, turning occasionally, for at least 10 minutes.
Cook & mash the potatoes:
While the catfish marinates, add the potatoes to the pot of boiling water and cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Off the heat, add the butter, remaining milk and all but a pinch of the parsley. Using a fork, mash the mixture to your desired consistency; season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in a warm place.
Make the slaw:
While the potatoes cook, in a large bowl, combine the cabbage, mayonnaise, remaining vinegar and as much of the spice blend as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Toss to thoroughly combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes.
Coat the catfish:
While the slaw marinates, place the flour on a plate; season with salt and pepper. Working 1 at a time, remove the marinated catfish fillets from the marinade (letting any excess drip off), reserving the marinade; thoroughly coat in the seasoned flour (tapping off any excess). Dip the coated fillets back into the reserved marinade, then thoroughly coat again in the seasoned flour. Transfer to a plate.
Cook the catfish:
In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high until hot. Once the oil is hot enough that a pinch of flour sizzles immediately when added to the pan, add the coated catfish fillets; cook 4 to 6 minutes on the first side, or until golden brown and crispy. Flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; immediately season with salt and pepper.
Plate your dish:
Divide the cooked catfish fillets and mashed potatoes between 2 plates. Top the fillets with some of the slaw (you may have extra slaw). Garnish with the remaining parsley. Serve with any remaining slaw on the side, if you’d like. Enjoy!