Parmesan-Pecan Fried Catfish

By VerneJ

Parmesan-Pecan Fried Catfish is the crunchy, nutty main course fish dish that pairs beautifully with everything from rosemary roasted red potatoes, roasted or steamed vegetables, or even just a simply dressed side spring salad. This recipe is filled with the rich flavors of Parmesan, rich pecans, zesty paprika, and spicy Cajun seasoning.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds catfish fillets, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup ground pecans
• 2/3 cup plain yellow cornmeal
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• vegetable oil
• pickled okra salsa to taste

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 25mins
Cooking time 60mins
Adapted from myrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Place catfish and buttermilk in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag. Seal and chill 1 hour. Remove catfish from buttermilk, discarding buttermilk.

Combine pecans, yellow cornmeal, Parmesan cheese, Cajun seasoning, and paprika in a shallow bowl. Dip fish in eggs; dredge in pecan mixture, shaking off excess. Arrange on a baking sheet. Pour oil to a depth of 1.5-inches into a cast-iron Dutch oven or 12-inch diameter and 2 1/4-inch-deep cast-iron skillet; heat to 350°F. Fry fish, in batches, 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown and fish flakes with a fork. Drain on a wire rack over paper towels.

Serve with pickled okra salsa.

Parmesan-Pecan Fried Chicken: Substitute 2-pounds chicken breast tenders for catfish. Fry 3 minutes or until done.