Cat Cora's Faux-Fried Catfish & The Colonel's Slaw

Steve and I prepared tried this catfish recipe with sage yesterday evening, and it was delicious, but the truth is... we just love lemon pepper! So, I tried it with lemon pepper on Delta Kitchen, and it was wonderfully tasty. Rachel Elvis of WABG also suggested trying 'Blackened Redfish Magic' ( but of course, you can use Old Bay Seasoning - it's the "old" standby).

The buttermilk bath was rich and thick and coated the fillets perfectly. The Colonel's Slaw calls for buttermilk, also. The Jackson Jr. League's Come On In has a recipe for watermelon sorbet using buttermilk that is delicious. And cornbread. Just trying to think of ways to use all that buttermilk!

Enjoy!


Cat Cora's Faux-Fried Catfish

6 (2-3 oz.) U.S. farm-raised catfish fillets
½ cup flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups corn flakes (we used 3 cups to coat the six fillets)
½ cup light buttermilk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) (we used ¼ teaspoon+)
1 teaspoon paprika
½ tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage or ½ teaspoon powdered sage

(Lauren Farms variations: In place of sage, use lemon pepper and lemon zest or Blackened Redfish Magic or Old Bay or your favorite seasoning.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour 2 teaspoons of olive oil into a baking dish large enough to hold catfish fillets. With your fingers, lightly coat the entire dish with oil. Set the dish aside.

Rinse catfish in cold water and pat dry. In a wide bowl or plate, season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge each fillet through the flour so it’s completely coated, tap the catfish against the side of the bowl to jar loose excess flour and set the piece aside. Discard the flour.

Crush corn flakes by placing them in a large resealable plastic bag (with as little air inside as possible) and crush the flakes with a rolling pin. Open the bag and pour the crushed flakes into a wide bowl or a plate.

In a large bowl (big enough to dredge catfish fillets) mix the buttermilk, mustard, spices and herbs. Give each floured fillet a good buttermilk bath, then roll it in the corn flake crumbs. Arrange catfish in the oiled baking dish and place in hot oven. Cook until crispy for about 15 minutes or until done. If desired, broil for a few minutes to brown the fillets.

The Colonel's Slaw

My little nephew, Jacob, always loved & requested the “Colonel’s” slaw when he visited! This is a very good replication of the famous recipe! The “little ones” love it as is. Add some chopped onion and chopped sweet pickles to please the “grown ups”.

1/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
½ cup milk
½ cup mayonnaise
1 ½ tablespoons white vinegar
2 ½ tablespoons lemon juice (the juice of 1 large lemon)
1 medium head cabbage, shredded
1 medium carrot, shredded

Optional: One package pre-shredded slaw mix, rinsed
Optional: chopped onion and chopped sweet pickle

Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate about an hour or longer. Toss before serving.