Fried Catfish Tacos With Chipotle Cole Slaw Emeril Lagasse Recipes

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:

• 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 the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the flour, the chili powder and 1 teaspoon of the pepper in a shallow dish. Combine the beer and mustard in a separate shallow dish. Mix the panko, granulated garlic, paprika, salt and remaining pepper into a third shallow dish.
• Dredge the fish in the flour mixture and then the beer and mustard and lastly in the panko mixture. Arrange the fish on a sheet pan, lined with a cooling rack, and refrigerate until ready to cook.
• For the slaw: In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime zest and juice, chipotle, sugar, vinegar and salt and pepper, to taste. Fold in the cabbage, onion, bell peppers, scallions, and cilantro and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Refrigerate.
• Spread the butter on inside of rolls and arrange, crust side down, on a rack in the oven to toast while fish cooks.
• Heat 1 cup oil in a cast iron or heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add the fish, cooking on both sides until the coating turns golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack to drain. Keep warm in the oven, if necessary.
• To make each sandwich, arrange a piece of fish on the bottom half of the rolls and top with the slaw. Cover with another piece of bread and serve.

Steps:

• Mix the marinade ingredients together in a blender. Except the fish, as we're not making cat food.
• Pour the marinade into a big zip top bag with the fish and let it sit for about 30 minutes at the most.
• In a food processor, combine all of the slaw ingredients except the cabbage. Spin it up until you have a smoothish dressing.
• Pour the slaw dressing over the cabbage and toss to combine. Let it chill in the fridge until dinner is ready. Normally I would make any coleslaw a day ahead of time, but for this, I still want a good crunch to the cabbage.
• Mix the Masa, the salt and 1 cup of the water in a bowl by hand.
• Only add enough of the remaining water tot he dough so it is workable enough to form a golf ball sized ball that can be flattened out without it crumbling apart.
• Divide the dough into 16 equally sized balls.
• Break out your tortilla press and flatten each dough ball into a small round. Or if you're like me, break out the tortilla press, then break the press after the third tortilla and resort to parchment paper, a heavy pan with a smooth bottom and a rolling pin.
• Cook the tortillas on a med-high hot dry pan or an electric griddle for about 1 minute per side. You'll have to eyeball the time depending on how hot your "med-high" is.
• I followed Alton Browns tip on keeping my tortillas hot and ready by wrapping them in a tea towel sitting on a heating pad. Yes, I am that much of a geek that I have a heating pad in the kitchen.
• Get a large non stick pan heated over medium ready with half the oil.
• Place your fish in the pan, careful not to crowd the pan, and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side. This is really up to you and how "done" you like your fish and also the type and thickness of the fish you're cooking. I look for just opaque in the center.
• Extract the first batch and cover with foil while the second batch cooks.
• I like the two tortilla shingle method myself with the fish on the bottom and the slaw on top. You can throw some diced tomatoes on top or maybe a squeeze of lime if you think it's necessary. I like to keep it simple.

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:

• Using a sharp knife, cut the catfish filets into 1-inch thick strips on the diagonal.
• Place fish in a medium mixing bowl along with the milk, Creole mustard, hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and cayenne pepper and stir to thoroughly combine. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the Chipotle Slaw by combining the chipotle pepper, mayonnaise, honey and lime juice in a large mixing bowl.
• Stir well, then add the shredded cabbage, red onions, green onions and stir to thoroughly combine.
• Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and refrigerate until ready to assemble the tacos.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet or a deep fryer until a thermometer registers 350 degrees F.
• In a shallow plate or bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, and 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:

• Place 1/2 cup flour in a small bowl. Combine remaining flour with panko bread crumbs, seasoned salt, garlic powder, lemon pepper, black pepper, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in a shallow bowl. Whisk eggs in a separate small bowl.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Roll tilapia in flour, dip in the egg mixture, roll in the panko-flour mixture, and place in the hot oil. Fry until light brown, about 3 minutes per side. Place on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Heat tortillas in a separate skillet over medium-low heat.
• Combine ranch dressing, salsa, lime, and chipotle chile in a small bowl for the salsa.
• Divide tilapia over the warmed tortillas and serve with salsa and cabbage.

Steps:

• Make the dressing first. Combine the chipotle peppers, mayonnaise, honey and lime juice.
• In another large bowl, combine the cabbages, onions and carrots. Drizzle the dressing over the top, sprinkle cilantro over the whole thing, and toss well to combine.
• Season with salt and pepper as desired and chill until serving time.