catfish tacos & brussel sprout slaw

A southern twist on a baja classic

Tips

whats catfish?

Catfish is a fish found in muddy waters all over the world. In the United States it is mostly associated with southern and soul food cooking. I grew up in the gulf coast, where I mainly ate fried catfish.

Catfish is a firm white fish, that has a sweet and mild flavor. You can get it frozen, or sometimes fresh in Asian markets.

keep it simple

This recipe can be made easy by buying some of the main ingredients. The cornmeal fish fry can be purchased in most stores, depending on where you are, it can be found in the flour section, or the ethnic food section. Lousiana fish fry is what I use in a pinch.
Pre-made brussel sprout slaw can be found with the rest of the laws in the vegetable section. I like making my own for more brussel sprouts to the bagged slaw works in a pinch!.

Fried catfish tacos

Preparation Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Serving size: 4 people

Gather

Catfish (store bought fish fry)

• 5 cups of frying oil (canola, peanut, etc)
• 2-3 lbs catfish – skinless fillets (not nuggets), cut into strips for tacos  
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½  tablespoon hot sauce (Franks, Tabasco, etc)
• A packet of Louisiana Seasoned Crispy Fish Fry (a cornmeal seafood breading mix)

Catfish (homemade fish fry)

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal 
• 2 tablespoons corn starch 
• 1 ½ tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• ½  tablespoon seasoning salt or salt 
• 2 teaspoons paprika 
• 2 teaspoons white pepper 
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

brussel sprout slaw

• 2 cups Brussels sprouts, shaved or thinly sliced
• ¼ head of green cabbage, shaved or thinly sliced (you can use the large holes on a cheese grater, but I like to cut it) 
• ½ head of red cabbage, shaved or thinly sliced 
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
• ½  cup sour cream 
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon onion powder 
• ½ tablespoon garlic powder 
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin 
• Zest and juice from 1 lime

assembly

• Corn tortillas
• Radishes Pickled jalapenos
• Optional: Guacamole, salsa and/or hot sauce

Follow

catfish

1. In a bowl, whisk buttermilk and hot sauce, add salt and pepper. Place catfish fillets in buttermilk and set aside while preparing rest of the ingredients. 
2. If you are not using the Louisiana Seasoned Crispy Fish Fry, in a bowl or shallow dish, whisk flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, paprika, white pepper and black pepper. Otherwise, just add Seasoned Fish Fry to a shallow dish.
3. Place 5 cups of frying oil in a large deep Dutch oven or deep fryer, be mindful of how much oil your fryer can hold. Heat to 350 degrees. 
4. Bread catfish while it heats up: Remove catfish from buttermilk, and let excess buttermilk drip before dredging in cornmeal mixture or Louisiana Seasoned Crispy Fish Fry. Completely coat, and shake excess off. Place prepped catfish on wire rack while oil is heating.
5. Once oil reaches 350 degrees, add catfish pieces. Be sure not to crowd the pot. Cook for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Cook in batches until done. Place cooked catfish on wire rack.
6. Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. Reheat in oven at 375 degrees for 8-10 mins. 

brussel sprout slaw

1. In a large bowl, combine green cabbage, red cabbage, red onions and jalapenos. 
2. Heat a skillet with ½ teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add sliced Brussels sprouts and add ¼ cup of water to pan. Season with salt and pepper. Move around in pan and let cook for 1-2 mins. This is to pull the bitter taste out of the Brussels sprouts.  Remove them from heat and let cool. Add to bowl with cabbage. 
3.  In a small bowl, combine sour cream,  hot sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, lime zest and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. 
4. When ready to make full coleslaw, there are multiple ways you can do it. I personally do not like an overly sauced or soggy coleslaw. Because of this, I mix my slaw little by little until it reaches the desired sauce level. If you’d rather your slaw sit in its dressing a little before you serve,mix slaw accordingly and let sit while you fry catfish.