Crunchy Catfish Tacos With Chipotle Mayonnaise And Apple Slaw Recipe 455

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:

• TO MARINATE THE FISH: Pat the fillets dry and spread them in 1 layer on a rimmed 13 by 18-inch baking sheet. (They can be close together, even touching, 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°F. Bake until the fish begins to flake when pulled apart with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes. Keep warm.
• TO MAKE THE CHIPOTLE MAYONNAISE: Whirl the mayonnaise, reserved 2 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 the warm tortillas, sliced cabbage, chipotle mayo, and lime wedges, allowing guests to custom-build their own tacos. Have the salad on the table to serve with the tacos.
• Cucumber-Tomato- Avocado Salad
• Place the cucumber, tomatoes, and avocados in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt, freshly ground pepper to taste, and olive oil. Add the dressing to the vegetables and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
• do it early
• As long as the chipotle mayo is prepared with commercially made mayonnaise, it will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• In the work bowl of a food processor, combine mayonnaise, honey, lime juice, and chipotle in adobo. Pulse until smooth. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 200° fahrenheit. In a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot, pour oil to a depth of 4 inches, and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 375° fahrenheit on a deep-fry thermometer. In a shallow dish, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisk in club soda and hot sauce until smooth. To a separate shallow dish, add bread crumbs. Dip catfish pieces in batter, allowing excess to drip off ; coat in bread crumbs. Fry fish, in batches, until brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer fish to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain, and keep warm in oven. Spray both sides of tortillas with nonstick cooking spray. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook tortillas until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. To assemble tacos, spread tortillas with mayonnaise mixture, and top with fish pieces and Apple Slaw. Serve immediately.

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 shallow dish, combine the first four ingredients. Pat fillets dry; dip in butter, then coat with crumb mixture. , Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill fillets, covered, over medium-hot heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

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:

• Using a sharp knife, cut the catfish filets into 1-inch strips on the diagonal.
• Place fish in a medium mixing bowl with the milk, Creole mustard, hot sauce, 1/2 tsp of salt and cayenne pepper.
• Stir to thoroughly combine and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Make the Chipotle Slaw by combining the chipotle, mayonnaise, honey and lime juice in a large mixing bowl. Add the shredded cabbage, onions, 1/4 tsp salt and thoroughly combine. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the tacos.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet or a deep fryer until a thermometer registers 350 degrees.
• In a shallow plate, combine the flour, cornmeal and creole seasoning. Dredge each piece of fish in the flour mixture until well coated on all sides.
• When the oil is hot, gently place the fish in the hot oil and deep fry until the fish is golden brown on all sides, about 2 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fish to a paper-lined plate to drain. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Using tongs, quickly dip the corn tortillas in the hot oil until they begin to sizzle. Transfer to paper-lined plates to drain briefly, then serve, with the catfish and slaw divided among the hot taco shells.

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.