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Ashleigh Santi’s Cornmeal Fried Catfish, Tartar Sauce & Quickles
Cornmeal Fried Catfish
Ingredients
For the Fish:
- 2 pounds catfish fillets
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- ½ cup all- purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon celery salt
For the Tartar Sauce:
- 1 cup Duke’s mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Quickles (recipe below), chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika Canola oil, for frying
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
- 8 ounces trout roe
For the Quickles:
- 8 smaller firm cucumbers or summer squash, thinly sliced
- 2 white onions, thinly sliced
- 2 dill sprigs
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- 1½ cups distilled white vinegar
Instructions
For the Fish:
- Season the fillets all over with salt and black pepper. In a shallow dish, combine the cornmeal, f lour, celery salt, onion powder, garlic powder, sage, parsley, cayenne, and paprika. Dredge each fillet in the cornmeal mixture, gently pressing it to adhere to the fish, then shake off any excess.
- Fill a deep fryer or 10- inch cast- iron skillet with ½ inch of oil and clip a deep- fry thermometer to the side. Warm over medium heat to 350°F. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet.
- Working in batches, add the catfish to the hot oil and cook until golden brown and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the fish to the rack and repeat with the remaining catfish. Allow the oil to return to 350°F between batches.
For the Tartar Sauce:
- In a small bowl, combine the mayo, pickles, lemon zest, lemon juice, and chives. Fold in the trout roe and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve the catfish hot, with the tartar sauce alongside.
For the Quickles:
- Pack the cucumbers, onions, dill, garlic, bay leaf, salt, sugar, peppercorns, and mustard seeds into a sterilized 1- gallon glass jar (or other nonreactive vessel with a tight-fitting lid). Pour the vinegar into the jar. Close the lid tightly and place the jar in the fridge, setting it upside down so it’s resting on the lid. After 30 minutes, give the jar a good shake and turn it right-side up. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes more; these pickles are at their best after about 6 hours, with a few shakes and flips every now and then. The salt will draw moisture from the vegetables, lending to your pickle brine.
- They likely won’t last this long, but you can store the pickles in the fridge for up to 30 days, as long as they remain fully submerged in their brine.