Pecan Catfish Po-Boy
Pecan crusted catfish takes the traditional Po-Boy to new levels in this hearty recipe. Make sure to bring your appetite!
Ingredients
- Po-Boy:
- 3/4 cup pecan vodka or regular vodka
- 1 ounce pecan meal
- 1 1/2 quarts pecan oil for frying
- 5 ounces unbleached cake flour
- 3 ounces fine ground corn meal
- 5 ounces white rice flour
- 1 cup corn starch for dredging
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups cold sparkling water, unsweetened
- 10 ounces skinless catfish fillets in 4-5 ounce individual portions
- 1/2 ounce kosher salt
- Pecan Sriracha remoulade
- French bread or baguettes
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Pecan Sriracha Remoulade:
- 1 cup pecan oil
- 1 large egg, separated, yolk reserved
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
- 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 2 tablespoons drained capers, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the Pecan Sriracha Remoulade:
- Whisk the lemon juice with the egg yolk until smooth.
- Add the grain mustard and Sriracha and continue to mix.
- While whisking, slowly drizzle the pecan oil in a thin stream to the side of the bowl and continue to whisk into egg mixture.
- Once dressing is thick and emulsified, fold in the remaining ingredients.
Make the Po-Boy:
- Heat the pecan oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven until oil reaches 375 degrees Fahrenheit on a deep-fry thermometer.
- Whisk the cake flour and rice flour together in a medium glass bowl and set aside.
- Once the temperature reaches 365 degrees Fahrenheit, whisk the egg, seltzer water and vodka in a medium glass mixing bowl
- Pour half of the liquid mixture into half of the dry mixture and whisk to combine, about 10 to 15 seconds.
- Set the glass bowl in a larger bowl lined with ice.
- Working with one piece at a time, dredge a piece of the catfish in the corn starch to coat evenly, shaking to remove any excess.
- Using tongs, dip the catfish into the batter, drain for 3-4 seconds over the bowl and drop gently into the heated pecan oil.
- Fry catfish for approximately 2-3 minutes or until puffy and light golden brown in color.
- Remove the catfish from the hot oil and set on a cooling rack lined with paper towels.
- Sprinkle kosher salt over the hot fish.
- Repeat with the remaining fillets.
- To assemble, split loaves of French bread or baguettes.
- Spread with Pecan Sriracha Remoulade, top with fish and add lettuce and tomato.