Cornmeal Catfish Fingers

Suggested total time: Not Available
Recipe: Cornmeal Catfish Fingers (via www.wholefoodsmarket.com)
Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons medium-grind yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika) or paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 4 (5- to 6-ounce) catfish fillets, cut into thick strips
• 2 tablespoons expeller-pressed canola oil
• Lemon wedges

Preparation:

• In a wide, shallow dish: mix the cornmeal, pimentón, thyme, salt and pepper together.
• Working with a few pieces at a time, dredge catfish in cornmeal mixture - turning to coat evenly.
• Heat oil in a large non-stick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat.
• Working in batches, arrange catfish in the skillet in a single layer and cook.
• Flip once, until golden brown and cooked through (about 5 minutes total)
• Transfer to plate when done, and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

This recipe was so easy to follow. I’ve never cooked catfish in the kitchen before (over a campfire, yes) so I wasn’t sure how well I would do. I used a non-stick frying pan as I don’t have a cast iron skillet. I had trouble at first because my strips were too thick. The fish wasn’t turning a golden brown until I tried smaller and thinner strips. After that I had no problem cooking up a storm! It tasted delicious. I used the juice from the lemon wedges to give the fish even more pizzazz. I also cooked up some yellow green beans from the garden as a side to go along with the catfish. The only downside is that my kitchen smelled bad after cooking the fish. Also, it took me a bit longer than five minutes total for the cooking time. I’d say closer to ten minutes per pan of fish.

Photo of the finished product:


Next week’s recipe: Crustless Quiche