Catfish
Po Boys with Apple-Fennel Slaw
By Chef John Shields, Coastal
Ventures, Baltimore, Maryland
Chef
Participant: Cooking for Solutions
Conference 2006
Serves:
6
Ingredients:
(use organic when possible)
6 (6-oz.) Catfish Fillets*
Milk (as needed)
1 cup Flour
1 cup Yellow or White Cornmeal (finely ground)
1 tbls. Old Bay Seasoning or Cajun Seasoning
1/2 tspn. Cayenne Pepper
Salt and Black Pepper (freshly ground)
Vegetable Oil (for frying)
6 (6-in.) Soft Submarine-style Rolls (sliced in half lengthwise)
Remoulade Sauce (recipe below)
12 slices of Ripe Tomatoes
1/2 cup Arugula (chiffonade)
1/2 cup Fresh Mint (chiffonade)
Procedures:
1. For the catfish: Soak catfish fillets in
milk to cover in a shallow dish for 1 hour.
In a second dish, mix flour, cornmeal, Old Bay or Cajun seasonings,
cayenne, salt and pepper. Remove fish from milk, 1 fillet at
a time, letting excess milk drip back into the dish. Coat well
with cornmeal mixture.
2. Pour oil into a frying pan to a depth of
1/2 inch and place over medium heat. When oil is hot, add as
many fillets as the pan will allow. Fry about 3 to 4 minutes
on each side, or until golden brown. Remove fish from the pan
and drain well on paper towels.
3. Generously slather both sides of submarine
rolls with remoulade sauce. Place one fillet on each roll and
top with tomato slices and equal amounts of arugula and mint
chiffonade. Close sandwich with top half of roll and cut in
half, securing each half with toothpicks. Serve at once with
apple-fennel slaw.
4. When translated literally from the French,
"chiffonade" means "made of rags." In culinary
terms, it means finely cut strips or ribbons of leafy vegetables
or herbs.
*Seafood Watch recommends U.S. farmed catfish from the U.S.
Remoulade
Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup Mayonnaise
6 tbls. Celery (finely minced)
6 tbls. Green Onion (finely minced)
3 tbls. Parsley (finely chopped)
1 tbls. Garlic (minced)
3 tbls. Prepared Horseradish
2 tbls. Mustard (coarse-grain)
1 tbls. Capers (chopped)
3 tbls. Ketchup
2 tbls. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tspn. Tabasco Sauce
1 tspn. Paprika
1/2 tspn. Salt
1 tspn. Anchovy (finely minced (optional)
Procedure:
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and chill for
several hours before serving. Makes about 2-1/2 cups.
Apple-Fennel
Coleslaw
Ingredients:
(serves 4-6)
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
4 tspn. Red Wine Vinegar
4 tspn. Honey
2 tspn. Apple Cider
1 tspn. Horseradish
1 tspn. Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup Olive Oil
TT Salt and Pepper
1 sm. Cabbage (cored and finely sliced or shredded)
1 sm. bulb Fennel (trimmed, finely sliced or shredded)
1 lg. Granny Smith Apple (peeled, cored, diced)
Procedures:
1. Mix together mayonnaise, red wine vinegar,
honey, apple cider, horseradish, and Dijon. Slowly whisk in
oil to form an emulsion. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, toss together cabbage and fennel. Add apple
and toss Add dressing and mix thoroughly.
2.
PCover and refrigerate for at least an hour before
serving to allow flavors to blend.