Cajun Catfish Tacos With Chipotle Mayonnaise Recipes

Steps:

• Catfish Tacos:
• For the chipotle cream sauce: Put all the ingredients in a blender, except the heavy cream and salt and pepper. Blend well. Remove from the blender to a mixing bowl and slowly whisk in the heavy cream. All the cream may not be needed. The correct consistency, is like a crema. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Add more chipotle in adobo for more spice, if desired. Cover and refrigerate.
• For the slaw: Add the cabbages to a mixing bowl. Toss with the carrot, onion, cilantro, olive oil and lime juice, to taste. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Mix well, cover and refrigerate.
• For the catfish balls: In a hot skillet, over medium heat, add the butter, onion, jalapeno, and garlic. As it is cooking, add a pinch of salt, cracked pepper, paprika and cumin. Saute until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Heat enough peanut oil in a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, to come halfway up the sides of the pot, to 350 degrees F.
• Remove any silver skin from the fillets. Pulse the catfish in the food processor until it is chopped, about 30 seconds. You don't want to puree the fish, just chop it into small chunks. Put the fish in a mixing bowl and add the cilantro, Creole mustard, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise and Jack cheese. Add the cooled onion mixture to the bowl along with another pinch of salt and pepper. Mix gently with a spoon, then gently mix in 1 cup of the panko bread crumbs. The consistency will still be wet, but still formable for the catfish balls. Put the remainder of the bread crumbs into a bowl. Scoop out the catfish mixture using a 2 tablespoon-size scoop and form into a ball shape. Don't make the catfish balls to be too big, they won't cook all the way through.
• Roll the balls in the panko bread crumbs, and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Carefully drop them into the hot oil and fry in batches of 5 or 6 depending on your fryer. Do not crowd. Fry the balls for about 3 to 4 minutes. They are done when they are slightly more than golden brown. Remove from the oil and let cool on a paper towel lined sheet pan. Check the first batch to make sure they are cooked through. Repeat the process with the remaining fish mixture.
• Remove the chipotle sauce and the slaw from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature to remove some of the chill. Heat the tortillas. Stack 7 or 8 tortillas and wrap in a damp kitchen or paper towel and microwave for about 15 seconds. Repeat with remaining tortillas. They can also be wrapped in foil and heated in the oven.
• Add 2 or 3 catfish balls, depending on the size, to a tortilla, and slightly crush them. Some people tear them completely apart, it is up to you. Top with a little grated Jack cheese, chipotle cream sauce and slaw. Repeat with remaining tortillas and fillings. Arrange on a serving platter and enjoy with a nice cerveza.

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.
• Toss the cabbage with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Stir the yogurt, lime zest, lime juice and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Brush the fillets all over with oil and season generously with salt and pepper and then with the spice rub. Lay the fish on the grill and cook, undisturbed, until you see distinct grill marks and can lift the fish without it sticking, 5 to 6 minutes. Test it by gently lifting a corner?if it sticks, cook it a bit longer. Turn the fish over and cook until firm to the touch, about 5 minutes more.
• Microwave or steam tortillas until warm, or grill until slightly charred but still pliable. Fill each tortilla with 1/2 a fish filet, a sprig of cilantro and some cabbage. Drizzle with the yogurt sauce and hot sauce if using. Serve with lime wedges.

Steps:

• For the catfish: Whisk together the buttermilk, 1 tablespoon of the seafood seasoning, 1 teaspoon of the chipotle and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the fish, cover and let soak, refrigerated, for 10 to 15 minutes.
• For the fiesta slaw: While the fish is soaking, whisk together the mayonnaise, crema, lime juice, paprika, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Add the cabbages, cilantro, carrots and green onions and toss to coat.
• Whisk together the cornmeal, flour and remaining 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning and 1 teaspoon chipotle in a shallow dish or paper bag. Drain the catfish, shaking off any remaining marinade (discard the remaining marinade). Place 3 to 4 pieces of fish in the cornmeal mixture and shake/flip until they are coated. Remove the fish to a clean plate or baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining fish.
• Add about 1 inch of canola oil to a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and heat to about 375 degrees F.
• Add the fish to the skillet a few pieces at a time. Fry on each side until golden brown all over, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a baking sheet with a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining fish.
• Toast the tortillas in a cast-iron skillet or over an open flame. Add 2 pieces of fish to each tortilla and top with the fiesta slaw. Serve with lime wedges, cilantro and red onions.

Steps:

• Marinate the fish--pat the fillets dry and spread them in 1 layer on a rimmed 13 x 18 inch baking sheet (they can be close together but not overlapping).
• Liberally sprinkle cajun seasoning on both sides of the fillets.
• Puree the chipotle peppers (minus the 2 reserved chiles) and their sauce in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.
• Add the lemon juice and olive oil and pulse a few times until the mixture is combined.
• Pour the mixture over the seasoned catfish.
• Cover the fish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Bake until the fish begins to flake when pulled apart with a fork, 20-25 minutes; keep warm.
• Make the mayonnaise--whirl the mayonnaise, 2 reserved chipotle chiles, lime juice, creole mustard, and salt in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade until blended.
• Scrape into a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• To serve--use a spatula to cut the fish into manageable portions and leave them on the baking sheet so guests can serve themselves.
• Set out warm tortillas, sliced cabbage, chipotle mayo, and lime wedges, allowing guests to custom-build their own tacos.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Mix together the honey, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and juice and zest of 1 lime in a small bowl to make a glaze. Set aside.
• Put the broccoli slaw in the bottom of a baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then toss. Scatter over the sliced sweet peppers and chiles. Top the slaw and peppers with the cod fillets. Season the cod with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the chipotle glaze over the fish and around the baking dish over the slaw.
• Roast until the fish is cooked through and flaky, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately squeeze over the juice of the other lime. Flake the cod into large chunks and sprinkle over the chopped cilantro.
• To build the tacos, place a couple chunks of cod into each taco shell. Top with a pinch of slaw, some sliced avocado, sour cream and hot sauce. Garnish with a lime wedge and squeeze over a little juice before eating.

Steps:

• For the slaw: Whisk the lime juice, oil, honey, and salt together in a bowl. Add the green and red cabbage, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro, and toss to combine. Cover with plastic wrap, and let the bowl chill in the fridge for 1 hour, so the flavors can develop.
• For the chipotle mayo: Blend the mayonnaise, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and honey in a food processor until smooth. Remove from processor, and set aside until ready to serve.
• For the catfish: Heat 2 inches of oil in a Dutch oven to 375 degrees F. (For tips on deep-frying, see page 19.)
• Slice the catfish into 1-inch-thick fingers on a diagonal, and season with salt and pepper. Whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce on a rimmed plate. Stir together the cornmeal, flour, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper on another rimmed plate, and season with salt and pepper. Working in batches, dip the catfish into the buttermilk batter, then dredge it through the cornmeal mixture, shaking off the excess.
• When the oil is hot, gently drop the catfish into the Dutch oven and fry until golden brown, working in batches, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Remove to a paper-towel-lined sheet tray when done, and immediately season with salt and pepper.
• Place the tortillas on a plate, and wrap the plate with damp paper towels. Microwave on high for 45 seconds. (Alternatively, if you have a gas stove, turn the heat to medium and place a corn tortilla directly over the flame, to toast for about 15 seconds on each side. This will soften the tortilla and give it a delicious smoky flavor.)
• To assemble the tacos, place a generous portion of fried catfish onto the center of a warmed tortilla. Top with the crunchy slaw, and top with chipotle mayonnaise. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro.
• ALTERNATIVE: GRILLED CATFISH
• Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
• Slice the catfish into 1-inch-thick fingers on the diagonal. Brush with a few tablespoons olive oil on each side, and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill the catfish 2 to 3 minutes per side. Assemble the tacos as directed.

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Spritz both sides of fish with butter-flavored spray. Dip one side of each fillet in spice mixture. , Place spice side down in a large skillet coated with butter-flavored spray. Cook over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. ,

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a shallow bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients., Dip fillets in cornmeal mixture to coat both sides. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with paprika., Bake until fish begins to flake easily with fork, 20-25 minutes.

Steps:

• Place the tilapia chunks in a flat dish and pour 1/2 cup lime juice over the fish. Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the honey-cumin sauce by whisking together 1/3 cup lime juice, honey, vegetable oil, and ground cumin a small bowl. Set aside until needed.
• To make the chipotle mayonnaise dressing, place the mayonnaise, chilies, adobo sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper together in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Cover, and refrigerate until needed.
• To bread the fish, place the flour, eggs, and panko crumbs in three separate shallow dishes. Season the fish with salt and pepper to taste. Dip the fish pieces first in the four, coating evenly, and shaking off any excess. Dip next in the eggs, and last in the panko crumbs, patting the pieces to help the breadcrumbs hold. Set the fish aside on a plate.
• To cook the breaded fish, pour 1 cup vegetable oil into a skillet to 1/4 inch deep. Heat the oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C) over medium heat. Cook the fish, turning until all sides are golden brown, and flesh is easily flaked with a fork. Drain on paper towels. Brush the fish with the honey-cumin sauce.
• Mix the coleslaw and cilantro together in a bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the chipotle mayonnaise dressing, and pour the remaining dressing over the coleslaw mixture. Toss to coat evenly with the dressing.
• Place the tortillas on a flat surface, and spread each with 1 tablespoon reserved chipotle mayonnaise dressing. Divide the fish between the tortillas. Top with the cilantro coleslaw.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the minced chipotle, mayonnaise, honey, lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper; stir well to mix. Add both cabbages and the green onion and toss. Stir to combine and coat the vegetables well with the chipotle mayonnaise. Set aside.
• In a large, shallow bowl, whisk together the egg with a splash of water, a pinch of salt and the hot sauce. Pour the panko and flour onto two separate large plates. Pat the fillets dry with paper toweling and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
• Dredge the fish in the flour and shake off the excess. Dip the fish into the egg to coat it completely and then coat it thoroughly with the panko. Place the fillets on a platter as they are breaded.
• Heat a 12-inch skillet (black cast iron works great) over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers and is very hot, slip the breaded fish into the pan and brown it on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, another 3 minutes. Transfer the fish to paper towels to drain.
• Pour off the oil in the pan (pouring it into a metal can in the sink works well) and return the pan to the heat. Dump the slaw mixture into the pan and toss it for about 1 minute to warm it up. Don't cook it so long that it completely wilts. You want it to have a little crunch. Return the slaw to the bowl so that it doesn't overcook.
• In the microwave warm the tortillas wrapped in a clean dish towel (or microwavable wrap) until soft and pliable, 20 to 30 seconds. Lay the fish down the center of the tortillas and top it with the slaw. Wrap in the sides and bottom. To be eaten with your hands.