Classic Fried Catfish with Hushpuppies and Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:

4 U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish Fillets
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Vegetable oil for frying

Hushpuppies:

1½ cups self-rising cornmeal
½ cup self-rising flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup jalapeños, finely chopped (optional)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg, beaten
½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

PREHEAT oil to 350° F. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, and salt. Mix well. In a separate bowl, combine jalapeños, onions, buttermilk, egg and cheese. Add to dry ingredients, stirring until just moistened. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes. Drop batter by
heaping teaspoons into heated oil and fry, turning hushpuppies to cook evenly, until golden brown.

Tartar Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons sweet pickles, finely chopped
2 tablespoons capers, chopped
3 tablespoons green onions (use white bulb of onion), finely chopped; reserve green leaves for making hushpuppies)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

COMBINE: mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, capers, green onions, lemon juice, and parsley. Mix well. Add salt and pepper. Chill before serving to allow the flavors to marry

Instructions:

1.COMBINE cornmeal, flour, salt, cayenne pepper and garlic powder.

2.COAT catfish with mixture, shaking off excess. Fill a large, heavy skillet half full with vegetable oil. Heat to 350° F.

3.ADD catfish in a single layer, and fry until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes, depending on size.

4.REMOVE fish from oil and drain on paper towels.

5.SERVE with Hushpuppies and Tartar Sauce.

Buttermilk Hush Puppies

Ingredients:

1-quart vegetable oil for frying, or as needed
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup minced onion
4 green onions, minced

Directions:

1.Heat 1-quart vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).

2.Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).

3.Whisk buttermilk, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and eggs in a bowl.

4.Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Fold buttermilk mixture, onion, and green onions into cornmeal mixture until just mixed.

5.Drop 6 to 8 tablespoon-sized balls of batter into the hot oil; fry until each hush puppy is golden brown, turning the hush puppies to cook evenly, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove hush puppies with a slotted spoon and place on brown paper bags to drain. Repeat with any remaining batter.

6.Transfer hush puppies to a baking sheet and keep warm in the preheated oven until ready to serve.

Hush Puppies

Ingredients:

¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup fine-grind cornmeal
2 teaspoons sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 cup buttermilk
½ small onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded if desired, finely chopped
Vegetable oil (for frying; about 6 cups)

Preparation:

1.Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper in a large bowl to combine. Add butter and work in with a pastry blender or your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal (the largest butter pieces should be no bigger than a pea).


2.Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add egg and buttermilk to well. Gradually incorporate into dry ingredients, mixing from the center out, until a smooth batter forms. Add onion and jalapeño and mix gently just to evenly disperse (be careful not to overmix).


3.Pour oil into a large heavy saucepan to come halfway up sides and fit with thermometer. Heat oil over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°. Using a 1-oz. scoop or a tablespoon and working in 2–3 batches, carefully drop balls of batter into oil and fry, turning often with a spider or a slotted spoon and adjusting heat to maintain temperature, until hushpuppies are puffed and deep golden all over, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and let cool slightly.


4.Serve warm hushpuppies with tartar sauce alongside for dipping. 


Do Ahead: Batter can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Scoop cold batter directly into hot oil and fry.