There’s been so much catfish in the air lately — the Catfish in the Alley cooking contest Saturday in downtown Columbus, and the CONTACT Helpline catfish (and barbecue) plate fundraiser the same day. It seemed an appropriate time to touch on this prolific Southern staple.
The most common method may be deep-frying, but catfish can be grilled, baked and pan-fried to perfection, too. It’s mild, sweet flavor is less flaky and denser than other whitefish, making possible a variety of cooking choices.
Today, we dwell specifically on blackening. The cooking technique often associated with Cajun cuisine was popularized by Chef Paul Prudhomme. The fish (and other foods that can be blackened) is dipped in melted butter and then dredged in a mixture of herbs and spices before being cooked in a very hot cast-iron skillet. Blackening creates a juicy, flavor-packed piece of fish coated in a crust of charred spices and herbs.
“True blackening, however, is an art,” Hank Shaw writes in a 2012 article at honest-food.com.
Prudhomme is said to have brought blackening into prominence in 1980 because his little New Orleans restaurant, K-Paul’s, lacked a grill and he wanted to grill his redfish, Shaw explains.
“He decided to get a cast iron frying pan screaming hot — and when I mean screaming hot, I mean so hot that ‘white ash starts to form on the edges of the pan.’ That’s a direct quote from Prudhomme’s recipe. What now? Dip the fish in butter — butter?! The cooking fat with one of the lowest smoke points around?! — and then in Cajun spices, then slap it down on the pan,” he continues. “Armageddon ensues. The milk solids in the butter, along with the spices themselves, char almost instantly. It takes only three to five minutes to cook a normal fish fillet.”
Cast iron and vents
Always use cast iron for blackening; it can stand the intense, prolonged heat and provide excellent flavor. Other pans may warp. Let the frying pan sit on the stovetop while you eat dinner, Shaw says. If you try to clean it any sooner, the iron can actually crack. (If you don’t have cast iron and still really want to blacken, use a thick-bottomed pan intended for high heat. Do not use a nonstick pan.)
Oh, and open the windows and turn on the vent fans. (Better yet, do it on a grill outdoors.) Blackening food creates a lot of smoke — and sometimes flames. Thick hot pads and oven mitts are a must.
Other tips from thecookingdish.com include keeping filets around 1/2-inch thick; thicker ones may not cook all the way through. And keep food cool before blackening; butter and oils stick better to a cool piece of fish (or meat).
Not into smoke? Try today’s recipe for crunchy, battered and baked catfish fillets coated in a spicy blend of cornflakes and pecans for another version of a Deep South favorite. Or maybe cashew-crusted catfish with tomato basil cream, and catfish artichoke dip.
PRUDHOMME’S BLACKENED SEASONING BLEND
For about 6 portions
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
3⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
3⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
(Source: yummly.com)
CAJUN PECAN-CRUSTED CATFISH
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Serves 4
1 pound catfish fillets, about 1-inch thick, cut into 4 portions
1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco, or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups cornflakes
1/2 cup pecan pieces
Nutrition per serving: 302 calories; 17 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 63 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrates; 21 g protein; 3 g fiber; 240 mg sodium; 438 mg potassium.
(Source: The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry cookbook, 2006)
CASHEW-CRUSTED CATFISH AND TOMATO BASIL CREAM
Makes 2 servings
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup chicken stock or canned broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
2 cups ground cashews
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 (4-5 ounces each) catfish fillets
Vegetable oil, for frying
(Source: sheknows.com)
CATFISH ARTICHOKE DIP
Makes 10 servings
1 pound catfish fillets
1/2 teaspoon course ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup light mayonnaise
1 (14-ounce) can artichokes, drained, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
(Source: sheknows.com)
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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