Cajun Catfish Bites

By RoketJSquerl

Ingredients

• 1 Lb. Catfish Fillets (about 2 Large Pieces), skinned and boned
• 1 Tbls. Granulated Garlic
• 1 Tsp. Onion Powder
• 1 Tsp. Ground Chipotle
• 1 Tsp. Smoked Paprika
• 1/2 Tsp. Ground Cumin
• 1/2 Tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp. Cayenne
• 1/2 Tsp. Dried Oregano
• 1 Tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1 Cup Flour
• 3 Eggs
• 2 1/2 Cups Panko Bread Crumbs
• Olive Oil

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from thehungrymouse.com

Preparation

Step 1

Assemble your breading station. Mix together the granulated garlic, onion powder, chipotle, smoked paprika, cumin, black pepper, cayenne (or skip it, for a milder version), oregano, and kosher salt.

Put the flour on a plate or in a wide, shallow bowl. Toss in the spice mixture and stir gently with a whisk (or fork) to combine.

Stir until the mixture is uniform, without any big lumps of spice. Set aside for a minute. Crack three eggs into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until well scrambled.

Dump the panko breadcrumbs onto a second plate or wide, shallow bowl.

And, voila! Your breading station is complete. Your catfish will go first into the seasoned flour, then into the egg, then into the panko.

Cajun Catfish Bites: Cut and bread the catfish
Grab your catfish fillets. Cut them up into chunks. If you like, you could also do long, thin strips.

Working in batches, toss the chunks of catfish into your seasoned flour.

Drop the floured catfish into your beaten egg. Roll the chunks around until they’re totally coated with egg. (Resign yourself: Your hands are going to get really gooey.)

Finally, drop the egg-covered catfish into the panko. Roll it around, until it has a thick coating of breadcrumbs. (To stay with the sweater analogy, this is where your catfish puts on a thick, furry coat.)

Cajun Catfish Bites: Fry away!
I shallow fry these little guys in maybe a half inch (not even) of olive oil. It doesn’t use as much oil as deep frying, and the result is just as good. Doesn’t work for everything, but the catfish chunks are small enough that it’s fine in this case.

Pour about a half-an-inch of olive oil in a large, deep skillet. (I like to use cast iron, because it holds heat so well.) Set the heat on high and let the oil get nice and hot. While you’re waiting, line a plate with a few paper towels and set it aside for when the fish is done. (It cooks really fast, so do this now.)

Because the oil is so shallow, I don’t use a deep-frying thermometer. The surface of the oil will start to shimmer when it’s hot. Test the temperature by carefully dipping the corner of a piece of catfish into the oil. If bubbles start to immediately form around it, it’s hot enough to fry. (If not, let the oil heat for another minute, then test again.)

Carefully add the rest of your catfish to the pan. Depending on the size of your pan, you may have to fry in batches. I think my frying pan is a 13-incher. The fish will cook very fast. After about a minute, it should have a nice golden crust on the bottom.

When you see the golden crust, flip all the pieces of fish over. Let them cook on that side for another minute or so, until it has a matching golden crust on the bottom.

When your fish is golden brown all around, remove it from the oil with a slotted spoon and set it to drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with kosher salt, to taste.

Serve and enjoy!