Spicy Catfish Tenders With Cajun Tartar Sauce
These catfish strips are coated in a spiced cornmeal mixture and fried until golden, offering a crisp exterior and tender fish inside. They are paired with a tangy Cajun tartar sauce featuring mayonnaise, pickle relish, capers and horseradish. The sauce can be prepared up to two days in advance. This recipe yields enough for two to four people.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 1/4 lbs catfish fillets, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch-wide strips
- 8 cups canola oil, about (for frying)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (not coarse)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained and chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- lemon wedge
Method
- Combine all the tartar sauce ingredients in a bowl, mix well, then refrigerate until needed.
- In a wide, shallow dish, whisk the egg with the hot sauce.
- Add the catfish strips to the egg mixture, ensuring they are coated, and leave them to sit for at least 10 and up to 30 minutes.
- Pour oil into a heavy 4 to 5 quart pot until it reaches a depth of 2 inches and warm it until a thermometer shows 350°F. In a separate shallow dish, mix the flour, cornmeal, salt and Cajun seasoning.
- Let the fish drain thoroughly in a colander.
- Coat a quarter of the fish pieces in the flour mixture, shake off any extra, then fry them in the hot oil. Stir them occasionally with a slotted spoon until they are golden and cooked through, which takes 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
- Continue the dredging and frying process with the remaining fish in batches.
- Present the hot fish tenders with the chilled tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
Nutrition (per serving)
Sodium3594600 mg
Recipe details
CategoryCatfish
AuthorBarb G.
