Gluten Free Pan Fried Catfish

Once considered the "fish of the poor", catfish can be found on most menus of the world's swankiest restaurants.  Of course, those fancy restaurants do not have that "Southern Charm". This recipe is as unpretentious as it gets. The beauty is in its simplicity.

The ingredient we have replaced is the cornmeal. Cornmeal itself is gluten free. However, some milling/processing plants may also process wheat; causing cross contamination.

My suggestion: If you are Celiac, then go with a cornmeal that has the Gluten Free label. If you are only GI, you can probably get away with using any cornmeal depending on your level of gluten intolerance.



Photo: Douglas Kannady

 

Pan Fried Catfish

4 (6 to 8-ounce) skinless catfish fillets
3 large beaten eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup gluten free cornmeal
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried oregano or parsley
1 tsp dried minced garlic
1 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup light olive oil or butter

 

Place fillets in a large bowl or pan with 1 cup buttermilk and allow to sit for one hour. This helps remove the muddy flavor normally found in fresh water fish.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place it in a warm oven.

In a shallow dish, whisk together cornmeal, smoked paprika, dill, oregano, garlic, and sea salt. set aside

In a bowl, add eggs and 1 cup of buttermilk. set aside.

Remove fillets from buttermilk, rinse briefly in cool water and pat dry with paper towel.

Dip one fillet at a time in the egg mixture then roll it in the flour mixture, coating both sides. Transfer the each coated fillet to a clean plate.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot enough, carefully add two fillets at a time, and fry until the underside is golden and crisp (about 4 minutes).

Use a thin, flexible spatula to gently turn the fillet over.

Carefully transfer the cooked fillets to a parchment lined baking sheet in a warm oven. 

Repeat the process with remaining fillets.

Serves 4