Catfish Sandwiches

This is one of our favorite Friday night dinners.  It's quick and easy, and always good.  Goes great with Tom's world famous Coleslaw and Baked Fries!  This time we made baked potato chips from scratch (will have to blog those some other time - they were fabulous!)  If you don't like catfish (shame on you) you can use cod or whatever kind of fish you like.  But if you soak the catfish in milk as instructed here, it won't be fishy tasting.

Catfish Sandwich with home-made baked potato chips - Yum!

Ingredients

1 lb. catfish filets, cut in half (if filets are thin use 2 pieces on each sandwich; if thick just use one piece)

½ cup whole milk

1 cup corn meal

1 cup flour

1 tsp. Hungarian Paprika

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. ground black pepper

½ tsp. Cayenne pepper – optional (adjust up or down, or leave out, depending on how spicy you like it)

a good pinch of sea salt

2 tsp. baking powder

4 slices of bacon, cut in half and fried until just crisp

¼ cup plain yogurt

Canola oil

4 good-sized hamburger buns, like Kaiser rolls or onion rolls

Olive oil

Parmesan cheese

8 slices of Cheddar cheese (or any kind of cheese you like)

Optional toppings:  Tartar sauce, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, sautéed mushroom slices

Directions

·         In a large bowl, soak catfish filet pieces in milk for about one hour in the refrigerator (takes the gamey taste out)

·         In a separate bowl, mix the corn meal, flour, paprika, black pepper, cayenne, sea salt and baking powder

·         Fry the bacon and set aside on a paper towel to dry for later use

·         After one hour, drain the milk off the catfish pieces and discard the milk

·         Add the yogurt to the catfish in the bowl and gently toss well so catfish is well coated

·         In a large skillet, add Canola oil to a depth of about ½” and heat to medium

·         Dredge the catfish slices in the corn meal/flour mix until well coated, then set aside on a baking pan

·         Slice the buns in half (if not pre-sliced) and lay out on a baking sheet, cut-side up

·         Brush a little olive oil on the cut side of the buns and broil in the oven until lightly browned (don’t let them burn!!!) and remove from the oven

·         Sprinkle buns with a little Parmesan cheese, and broil for about one more minute, then remove from oven

·         Place a slice of Cheddar cheese on each side of the buns (top & bottom)

·         When the oil is medium-hot, fry the catfish pieces until browned on both sides (turning once)

·         Remove the catfish to paper towels to drain

·         Broil the buns for about one minute to melt the Cheddar cheese slightly and remove from oven

·         Put the fried catfish pieces and whatever toppings you like on the buns and serve immediately