Name of Chef: Todd Richards, the Soulful Company Restaurant Group
MOM’S FRIED CATFISH WITH HOT SAUCE
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole buttermilk
- 2 tbsp worcestershire
- 1 tbsp hot sauce, plus more for serving (recipe follows or use store-bought)
- 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/4 tsp granulated onion
- 4 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1 1/2 lb pounds catfish fillets cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 cups plain yellow cornmeal
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 4 cups vegetable oil
- 1-2 lemons, cut into wedges for serving
Hot Sauce
- 2 tsp blended olive oil
- 1 red Fresno chile, stemmed and coarsely chopped
- 1 jalapeño chile, stemmed and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl or zip-top plastic freezer bag, combine buttermilk, worcestershire, hot sauce, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and 1 teaspoon each of the salt and black pepper. Add catfish pieces; cover or seal and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.
- In a shallow dish or pie pan, whisk together cornmeal, cayenne, and remaining salt and black pepper
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Remove catfish from buttermilk mixture and dredge in cornmeal. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Fry catfish in batches, starting with the largest pieces, until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve with hot sauce and lemon wedges.
Hot Sauce
- Heat oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add chiles, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring often, until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the vinegars and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in salt and remove from heat. Let stand 20 minutes.
- Process chile mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides. (Remove the center of the blender top to prevent the mixture from overflowing; be wary of inhaling the pepper vapors).
Notes
From Todd Richards, the Soulful Company Restaurant Group, Atlanta
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