Preparing Catfish?
Steve Wertz
'nuggets' ($.99/lb at HEB). Coated it with "Hill Country Fare Shrimp
and Oyster Fry" (corn and wheat flours, little bit of fine corn meal
and spices - good stuff), and deep-fried the 2" peices in homemade
beef and pork lard.
Are you supposed to remove the skin first? Some of it had a really
musty taste to it - kinda unpleasant. t also curled a lot, figured
that was from the skin, too. Overall I thought it was kinda bland.
Nice firm texture, seemed sturday and hard to overcook, but not much
flavor other than those few musty spots I tasted and the coating.
Why are catfish nuggets (often $.99/lb) so much cheaper than fillets
($2.99/lb)? Are the nuggets mechanically procssed? They're basically
randomly cut fillet portions from what I can tell.
Any other processing/cooking tips? I wasn't that impressed so far.
Not sure what all the hype is about, so I thought I'd stir the pot in
here.
-sw
Chris Devidal
"Steve Wertz" <swe...@fastmail.micronesia> wrote in message
news:4thqjv8d09mhuuurk...@4ax.com...
I'm no catfish connoisseur but I would guess that your assumption about
nuggets is right on. Mechanically separated, cryogenically enhanced, dropped
on the floor, whatever are all possible guesses about where they come from.
Catfish fillets, both fried and blackened are excellent, and most likely
worth the extra cost. To the best of my memory, I don't recall Springhill,
Cherry Creek, or Catfish Parlour serving "nuggets", most likely because of
the poor quality.
Just my guess,
Chris Devidal
chrisd...@mail.com
RM
fillets from HEB, but I buy two more than I need so I can trim all of the
gray spots out. I salt and pepper (heavy) on both sides and keep the fish
on ice until it goes into the oil. I only use that stone ground cornmeal
from HEB, the one that is made in Texas.
-D
"Steve Wertz" <swe...@fastmail.micronesia> wrote in message
news:4thqjv8d09mhuuurk...@4ax.com...
B.Server
<swe...@fastmail.micronesia> wrote:
[...]
>
>Are you supposed to remove the skin first? Some of it had a really
>musty taste to it - kinda unpleasant. t also curled a lot, figured
>that was from the skin, too.
I have always skinned catfish I've caught. Unlike other fish. Can't
say that there is any other reason than that was the way I was taught.
Maybe there is something to it.
>
[...]
>Any other processing/cooking tips? I wasn't that impressed so far.
>Not sure what all the hype is about, so I thought I'd stir the pot in
>here.
>
>-sw
If you are not hung up on frying it, this makes a pretty good soup...
Laotian Catfish Soup
From: New York Times 05.18.03 pp94
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb Catfish fillets
12 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
3-4 Thai chilies, seeded and finely chopped
3 fresh kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
4 in piece of fresh lemon grass, thinly sliced
2 shallots, peeled, and finely chopped
2 Tbs. peanut or vegetable oil
1 Qt chicken or vegetable stock
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
2 1/4in slices of galangal
1/4 Cup smooth peanut butter
1 can coconut milk
6 Tbs. Thai fish sauce
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil leaves
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
Jasmine rice
Preparation:
1. Cut the catfish fillets into strips about 1 inch long by 1/2 inch
wide, place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
2. Sauté the garlic, chilies, lime leaves, lemongrass, and shallots in
the oil in a deep skillet over medium heat until very fragrant, about
5 minutes. Add the stock, the lime juice and the galangal and heat
the mixture to a slow simmer.
3. Whish the peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk in a
small bowl until blended and then whisk it into the garlic mixture.
Stir in the fish and remaining coconut milk and simmer gently until
the fish layers separate when prodded with a fork, about 2 minutes.
Stir in fish sauce, basil, cilantro and simmer 2 minutes. Serve
immediately with rice as desired.
Proud Yankee
>
> Are you supposed to remove the skin first? Some of it had a really
> musty taste to it - kinda unpleasant. t also curled a lot, figured
> that was from the skin, too. Overall I thought it was kinda bland.
> Nice firm texture, seemed sturday and hard to overcook, but not much
> flavor other than those few musty spots I tasted and the coating.
>
I coat the fish with cajun sauce and black pepper
and bake for 10 minutes in a small baking pan with
some vegetable oil in the bottom. If the fish starts
shrinking or curling then it's being overcooked and
most of the flavor will disappear.
Steve Wertz
<areyou...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>On Fri, 15 Aug 2003 15:59:37 -0500, Steve Wertz
><swe...@fastmail.micronesia> wrote:
>
>[...]
>>
>>Are you supposed to remove the skin first? Some of it had a really
>>musty taste to it - kinda unpleasant. t also curled a lot, figured
>>that was from the skin, too.
>
>I have always skinned catfish I've caught. Unlike other fish. Can't
>say that there is any other reason than that was the way I was taught.
>Maybe there is something to it.
I should have clarified that this was what looked like the "sub-skin".
The bulk of the skin looked to have been torn off, but it still left a
layer of sinew/membrane/fat (that still had the skin-spotted pattern
on it, though).
>If you are not hung up on frying it..
I figured when in Texas, do as the Texans do.
> this makes a pretty good soup...
>
>Laotian Catfish Soup
>
>From: New York Times 05.18.03 pp94
>
>
>Ingredients:
>
>1 1/2 lb Catfish fillets
>12 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
>3-4 Thai chilies, seeded and finely chopped
>3 fresh kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
>4 in piece of fresh lemon grass, thinly sliced
>2 shallots, peeled, and finely chopped
>2 Tbs. peanut or vegetable oil
>1 Qt chicken or vegetable stock
>2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
>2 1/4in slices of galangal
>1/4 Cup smooth peanut butter
>1 can coconut milk
>6 Tbs. Thai fish sauce
>2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil leaves
>2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
> Jasmine rice
I actually have all that except the galangal (I have ginger)
lemongrass, and basil (it's dried). I was figuring on making a curry
out of the rest, with a 1/3rd-lb of crayfish tails I hev left from the
same fry. The above is almost a curry soup of sorts.
A word about the lime leaves - I've never liked the texture of even
the finest-chopped leaves. It's way too fibrous for me. I bruise 'em
and fish them out as I serve or eat.
ObTonightsDinner: Monkfish and Shrimp Scampi and <gag> canned peas.
The $3.99 shrimp this week at HEB is pretty good. Some of the other
cheap gulf shrimp they've had lately has been kinda lower-quality
(which is the consensus among gourmands of most Gulf shrimp).
ObHEB: Was talking to a fish-guy at CM and he says that HEB is
investing in some shrimping boats to harvest the Gulf. I would think
they would invest in farms instead (do they farm shrimp on the TX/LA
Gulf coastlines?). I know they do it a lot in Central/South America
and SE Asia.. but Texas/LA?
-sw
Steve Wertz
<jer...@dcnet2000.com.> wrote:
>The only things I
>do differently is not to chop the kaffir leaves and lemon grass, but tie
>the kaffir with lemongrass cut lengthwise and remove before serving.
I certainly agree. I take out the edible (yellow) portion of
lemongrass and chop that finely. The harder outer leaves I bruise
(along with the lime leaves) and fish them out later.
>and cut the fish sauce down a little.
6tlbs per quart of stock does seem quite a bit, especially added in
the last 2 minutes of cooking.
-sw
B.Server
<jer...@dcnet2000.com.> wrote:
>Great recipe that works really well with grouper too. The only things I
>do differently is not to chop the kaffir leaves and lemon grass, but tie
>the kaffir with lemongrass cut lengthwise and remove before serving, and
>cut the fish sauce down a little.
>
>It may be that the type of fish sauce you are thinking of is not the
>same stuff I have, because 6 tbs. would overwhelm everything.
>
>JJ
>
FWIW, the bottle du jour says:
Tiparos Fish Sauce
made by Tang Sang Hah, Ltd
197 Sukumvit Rd
New Bang Poo
Samutprakarn
Thailand
When I am using mature kaffir lime leaves, I generally tap down them
with the spine of my cleaver, bruising the leaves in a cross hatched
fashion. They seem to release their oils OK are are more easily
removed. (by the diner, I don't go to much trouble to remove kaffir
lime leaves any more than I remove cardamom pods from Indian dishes,
chilies from Szechuanese or the bone from a T-Bone steak...) If the
tree is producing a flush of young and tender new leaves, they can be
cut into shreds and are chewable. Along the same lines, if the lemon
grass is growing well and the shoots are fat, the interior is
generally tender enough to chew. If young, small, dry or otherwise a
problem, I cut it in pieces big enough for the diner to avoid.
B.Server
<swe...@fastmail.micronesia> wrote:
[...]
>
>I actually have all that except the galangal (I have ginger)
>lemongrass, and basil (it's dried). I was figuring on making a curry
>out of the rest, with a 1/3rd-lb of crayfish tails I hev left from the
>same fry. The above is almost a curry soup of sorts.
>
>A word about the lime leaves - I've never liked the texture of even
>the finest-chopped leaves. It's way too fibrous for me. I bruise 'em
>and fish them out as I serve or eat.
>
[...]
>-sw
CM had galangal last week. Buy a chunk. Use what you need and put
the rest of it in a pot. You will have a supply and an interesting
plant. It is somewhat more cold hardy than regular culinary ginger.
As I mentioned in another reply, unless there are new leaves on my
kaffir lime, I usually bruise the leaves, too. New leaves are tender
enough to shred and consume. When there is fruit, I often use the
zest in place of the leaves. It too, is more easily consumed.
We are forturnate to be able to grow several of the staples; ginger,
galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime, Thai basil, Thai chilies; for
most of the year. The ginger, galangal, lemon grass and lime are
easily overwintered. The chilies and basil will grow in a greenhouse,
but are not as good as the rest of the year.