Recipe by Marcelle Bienvenu
Rock’s Catfish features crispy corn flour-coated catfish marinated in a tangy mustard mixture and fried until golden brown for a crowd-pleasing favorite.
Rock’s Catfish
Makes about 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound catfish fillets, cut into 1x3-inch strips
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 to 4 dashes of hot sauce
- 2 cups corn flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Solid vegetable shortening, for frying
- Lemon wedges and thinly sliced yellow onions, to serve
Instructions
- Season the fish with salt and pepper. (If you prefer to use your favorite Cajun spice seasoning mix, I suggest you use 1 teaspoon of the spice mix.)
- In a large dish, combine milk, mustard, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Add catfish, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Put corn flour and cornstarch into a brown paper bag. Remove the catfish from the marinade, a few pieces at a time, allowing the marinade to drip off a bit. Put the strips in the bag, and shake well to coat each piece.
- In a large skillet, heat shortening to 360°. Drop a few pieces of fish at a time into the hot shortening. Cook until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side; remove and let drain on paper towels. Serve with lemon wedges and onions scattered over the fish.
Notes
Kitchen Tip
If you can’t find corn flour, substitute masa or a fine-ground plain cornmeal.
If you can’t find corn flour, substitute masa or a fine-ground plain cornmeal.
Matt Moseley and his wife, Ginja, have long been good friends and always produce good food. I rarely use store-bought tartar sauce since making this is quick and easy. Store it in the fridge until ready to use.
Matt’s Tartar Sauce
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients
- 1 cup Homemade Mayonnaise* (recipe follows)
- 1 large clove garlic, mashed
- 1 large sweet pickle, minced
- 5 drops TABASCO sauce
- 3 good dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated onion
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients together and chill for about 1 hour before serving.
Notes
*You don’t have to use Homemade Mayonnaise, but it makes a great difference.
Homemade Mayonnaise
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients
- 1 large hard-cooked egg yolk
- 1 large egg yolk*
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the egg yolks in a small mixing bowl, stirring and mashing until the mixture is smooth. Slowly add the oil, about 1 tablespoon at a time, and whip with a wire whisk each time you add the oil. When you have ¼ cup oil left, add the vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper, whipping well until combined. Add the remaining oil and whip again. Refrigerate until ready to use. Best used within 24 hours.
Notes
*Eating raw or undercooked eggs increases the risk of foodborne illness (such as salmonella), especially for vulnerable populations. Pasteurized eggs may be substituted.
