Fried Catfish Topped With Crawfish Au Gratin Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• For the crawfish etouffee: First, you make a roux. In a Dutch oven, add the butter over medium-high heat and melt. Add the flour and whisk until combined and there are no lumps in the flour. Continue to stir with a wooden spoon until the butter and flour mixture browns to the color of a shopping bag, 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure to stir continuously and do not allow the mixture to burn. If you notice little black specks, discard the roux and start over.
• Once the roux is sufficiently dark, add the garlic, celery, onion and bell pepper and stir. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the seafood stock and bring to a simmer. Add the parsley, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves and some cayenne, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes. Add the crawfish tails and simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
• For the rice: Over medium-high heat, bring 2 cups of water to a boil with the salt. Add the rice and return to a boil with a lid. Reduce to a simmer, keep covered and simmer until the rice is fully cooked, about 20 minutes. Reserve for serving.
• For the cornbread: Put a 10- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In another mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, creamed corn and eggs and whisk until the eggs are broken apart. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until everything is incorporated.
• Carefully remove the cast-iron skillet from the oven. Coat the inside with the canola oil, then pour the cornbread batter into the skillet. Place the skillet back in the oven and bake until the top is golden brown and the inside is cooked all the way through, about 20 minutes. Flip the cornbread upside-down onto a cutting board. Reserve for serving.
• For the fried catfish: In a shallow pan or baking dish, combine the cornmeal, cayenne, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper and stir to evenly spread the spices throughout the cornmeal. Hit each side of each catfish fillet with a few drops of a Louisiana-style hot sauce and spread it around. Dredge the fillets in the cornmeal mixture, generously coating both sides with it.
• In a deep fryer with oil set to 375 degrees F (or a cast iron skillet with oil heated to 375 degrees F), fry the catfish in batches until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on a pan lined with paper towels.
• For the grilled asparagus: Prepare a grill or grill pan for medium heat.
• Cut the white woody ends off of the asparagus and discard. Put the asparagus in a shallow dish, drizzle with olive oil and toss with some salt and pepper. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes, then flip the asparagus to grill the other side for another 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and toss with the lemon juice.

Steps:

• Fill a large Dutch oven fitted with a deep-frying thermometer halfway with oil and heat to 360 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with paper towels and fit with a wire rack.
• Unwrap the catfish and place on a parchment-lined quarter sheet tray. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill and firm up.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the cornmeal, corn flour and Cajun seasoning in a pie plate or casserole dish. In a second pie plate, beat together the eggs, hot sauce, some salt and pepper and 1/2 cup water.
• Remove the fish from the freezer and use a boning knife to very carefully cut each fillet into thin pieces. (You should be able to get 4 to 5 pieces from each fillet.)
• In batches, dredge the fish through the egg mixture and then through the cornmeal mixture, then add to the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd. Fry, turning as needed, until crisp and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to the prepared wire rack. Repeat with the remaining catfish.
• Serve the catfish with the Spillway Sauce on the side.
• Mix together the mayonnaise, ketchup, Cajun seasoning and Worcestershire in a small bowl.

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool briefly. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the capers, and then add the sauteed onion and garlic to the bowl. Stir the mixture together until thoroughly combined. If necessary, flatten the catfish fillets by placing them between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and gently pounding with a mallet or by rolling out with a rolling pin. Generously spread the bread crumb mixture on top of each fillet. Roll the fillets up, securing with a toothpick if desired. Heat a medium or large skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to the pan for sauteing, about 1/4-inch up the side of the skillet, and let heat for 1 minute. Carefully place the rolled catfish fillets into the skillet, and cook until evenly browned on all sides, turning the fillets with tongs as needed.
• A viewer, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. The FN chefs have not tested this recipe and therefore, we cannot make representation as to the results.
• Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat until the sauce is reduced by half. Drizzle the sauce over the Stuffed Catfish.
• Coat the asparagus spears with vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the asparagus for a couple minutes until tender, rotating them with tongs, if necessary.
• Slice the sweet potatoes lengthwise. Heat a grill pan over medium heat and add just enough vegetable oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the sliced sweet potatoes to the hot pan in a single layer, and grill until they turn slightly crispy. Turn each slice with tongs and continue grilling until the second side is slightly crispy and the sweet potatoes are fully heated through. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.