Banh Mi-Style Catfish Po’ Boys
 
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 4 Vietnamese-style French bread rolls, split horizontally
PICKLED VEGETABLES
  • 2 cups matchstick peeled carrot
  • 2 cups matchstick peeled daikon radish
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • ¾ cup distilled white vinegar
  • ¾ cup boiling water
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
SLAW
  • ¼ cup spicy mayonnaise*
  • ½ teaspoon lime zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 cups thinly sliced red and green cabbage
  • ¼ cup sliced red onion
CATFISH
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • 1 pound catfish fillets, cut diagonally into 1-inch strips
  • ½ (10-ounce) bag fish fry seafood breading mix*
  • 1 cup spicy mayonnaise*
  • Thinly sliced jalapeño, thinly sliced English cucumber, cilantro, and lime wedges, to serve
Instructions
  1. For pickled vegetables: In a nonreactive bowl, toss together carrot, radish, and salt. Let stand at room temperature until softened, about 1 hour. Rinse, and drain well. Squeeze out excess moisture.
  2. In same bowl, whisk together vinegar, ¾ cup boiling water, and sugar until sugar dissolves. Let cool to room temperature. Add carrot mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving. Refrigerate any remaining vegetables for up to 1 week.
  3. For slaw: In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lime zest and juice, salt, and pepper. Add cabbage and onion, tossing to coat. Refrigerate while preparing fish.
  4. For catfish: In a large Dutch oven, pour oil to a depth of 3 inches, and heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°.
  5. Rinse fish in ice-cold water, shaking off excess. Dredge fish in breading mix until fully coated, shaking off excess.
  6. Working in batches, fry fish, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oil, and let drain on paper towels.
  7. Spread mayonnaise onto cut sides of rolls. Top with catfish, pickled vegetables, and slaw. Serve with jalapeño, cucumber, cilantro, lime wedges, and any remaining mayonnaise.
Notes
*We used Blue Plate Spicy Mayonnaise and Louisiana New Orleans Style Fish Fry Seafood Breading Mix.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/banh-mi-style-catfish-po-boys/