Tangy Lemon Catfish Recipes

TANGY LEMON CATFISH

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, combine the lemon juice, garlic, salt and oregano; add fillets. Turn to coat; refrigerate, covered, 30-60 minutes, turning several times., Drain and discard marinade. In a shallow bowl, combine cornmeal and flour. Coat fillets with cornmeal mixture. In a skillet, cook fillets in oil and butter for 5 minutes on each side or until fish is golden brown and flakes easily with a fork. , Combine the tartar sauce ingredients in a bowl. Serve with fish.

PECAN-CRUSTED CATFISH WITH SPICY CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• For the pecan-crusted catfish: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and set aside. Pulse the cornmeal with the pecans and some salt and pepper in a food processor until uniform and the size of breadcrumbs. Create a breading station with the flour on a plate, the milk and egg beaten together and the pecan-cornmeal mixture on another plate. Be sure to sprinkle salt and pepper on each part of the breading station. Dip the fish in the flour, then the egg, then the cornmeal mixture. Heat the oil in a large oven-safe saute pan over medium heat. Brown the coated catfish until golden on one side, about 3 minutes. Then turn the fillets over and place in the oven to finish cooking, about 10 minutes longer (a few minutes more if the fillets are thick).
• For the spicy cream sauce: Place the onions and garlic with the stock, wine and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Boil and reduce for 5 minutes, gently pressing on the onions and garlic to release the flavors. Remove the onion and garlic and discard. Turn down the heat to low and whisk in the steak sauce and lemon juice, then the sour cream. Allow to cook and reduce 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly. (Place back on the heat for 10 seconds if needed to keep the temperature high enough.)

SHELLI'S LEMON PEPPER CATFISH

Steps:

• Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir green onions, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper in the hot oil until vegetables are softened, about 2 minutes. Stir lemon juice and 1/4 cup brown sugar into green onion mixture, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes more.
• Place catfish fillets into the skillet; cook until catfish easily flakes with a fork, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer catfish to a plate and pour remaining lemon juice sauce on top. Sprinkle with remaining brown sugar.

SPICY CORNMEAL-CRUSTED CATFISH

Steps:

• On a baking sheet, mix together cornmeal, paprika, cumin, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Dredge fish in cornmeal mixture, turning to coat both sides.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Place 2 catfish fillets in the skillet, skin side up. Cook until crust is browned and fish is firm, 6 to 8 minutes on each side. If crust is starting to turn too brown, reduce heat. Transfer fish to a plate; keep warm. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel. Repeat with remaining oil and fish.

LEMON PEPPER CATFISH

Steps:

• Combine flour, cornmeal and lemon pepper spice; set aside. In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs.
• In a large frying pan, melt margarine over medium-high heat.
• Working one at a time, dip filets in egg and dredge in flour until well coated. Cook in hot margarine, turning once, until brown on both sides. Drain briefly on paper towels and serve.

SPICY BLACKENED CATFISH

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine the paprika, the oregano, the thyme, the cayenne, the sugar, the salt, and the black pepper, pat the catfish dry, and sprinkle the spice mixture on both sides of the fillet, coating them well. In a large skillet sauté the garlic in the oil over moderately high heat, stirring, until it is golden brown and discard the garlic. Add the butter, heat it until the foam subsides, and in the fat sauté the catfish for 4 minutes on each side, or until it is cooked through. Transfer the catfish fillets with a slotted spatula to 2 plates and serve them with the lemon wedges.

SPICY CORNMEAL-CRUSTED CATFISH

Steps:

• Place fillets in a single layer in a shallow glass dish, Pour milk over the fish; cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare Tangy Tartar Sauce: Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth.
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Keep refrigerated.
• Makes 1/2 cup.
• Preheat oven to 500°F.
• Combine cornmeal, parsley, garlic and cayenne to taste in a shallow dish.
• Remove the fish from the milk, sprinkle both side with salt and dredge in the cornmeal mixture.
• Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Place the fish on baking sheet and lightly coat the fish with cooking spray.
• Bake until the fish is firm to the touch and opaque in the center, 10-15 minutes.
• Serve immediately with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
• Makes 4 servings.

SPICY OVEN-BAKED CATFISH

Steps:

• For the fish; wash the fish fillets under cold water, then pat dry with paper towels.
• In a shallow bowl mix together the dry breadcrumbs with seasoned salt, black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.
• In a bowl whisk or beat egg whites until foamy.
• Dip the fillets into egg whites, then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture.
• Place the fillets in one layer onto a well-greased wire rack that is set on a large baking sheet.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until fish is golden brown (do not overbake).
• LEMON CREAM SAUCE; in a bowl mix together one 8-ounce container of sour cream (low-fat is okay) 1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind, 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover and chill until ready to serve.

SPICY CATFISH TENDERS WITH CAJUN TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare fish:
• Whisk together egg and hot sauce in a wide shallow dish. Stir in fish strips and let stand at room temperature at least 10 and up to 30 minutes.
• Pour enough oil into a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot to measure 2 inches and heat over moderate heat until thermometer registers 350°F.
• Stir together flour, cornmeal, salt, and Cajun seasoning in another wide shallow dish.
• Make tartar sauce:
• Stir together all sauce ingredients in a bowl and chill, covered, until ready to serve.
• Fry fish:
• Drain fish well in a colander. Dredge one fourth of fish in flour mixture, shaking off excess, then transfer to oil and fry, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon, until golden and just cooked through, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Return oil to 350°F. Repeat procedure with remaining fish strips in 3 batches.
• Serve fish tenders hot with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
• *Available for order: BlueChef (bluechef.com), The Spice Hunter (800-444-3016), and Mc Cormick (AASpices.com).