Chipotle Fried Catfish Recipes

PAN-FRIED CATFISH SANDWICH WITH CHIPOTLE-LIME SLAW

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.

CATFISH TACOS WITH CILANTRO LIME SLAW AND CHIPOTLE CREAM SAUCE

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.

AIR-FRIED CRISPY FISH PO' BOYS WITH CHIPOTLE SLAW

Steps:

• Coat an air fryer basket with cooking spray. Rinse fish fillets and pat dry with paper towels.
• Combine flour, black pepper, salt, and garlic powder in a shallow dish. Whisk egg and water together in a second shallow dish. Combine bread crumbs and cornmeal in a third shallow dish.
• Dip each fish fillet until fully coated in the flour mixture, then in the egg mixture, and finally in the bread crumb mixture. Spray fillets with cooking spray and place in the prepared air fryer basket in a single layer, cooking in batches if necessary.
• Cook in the air fryer at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) until breaded coating is browned and fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, 6 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, salt, and dried chipotle pepper in a medium bowl. Add coleslaw mix and cilantro; toss to coat.
• Serve fish fillets in hoagie rolls. Top with chipotle slaw and queso fresco and serve with lime wedges.

CAJUN CATFISH TACOS WITH CHIPOTLE MAYONNAISE

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.

CAJUN CATFISH TACOS WITH CHIPOTLE MAYONNAISE

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.