If you love white, flaky, tender fish, my Spicy Cornmeal-Breaded Catfish Sandwiches with Lemon-Dill Mayonnaise are for you!

 

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 24 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 34 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Equipment: 1 (12-inch) cast-iron skillet, 2 rimmed baking sheet pans, large spatula, 2 large mixing bowls, 1 small bowl, serrated knife, chef’s knife, cutting board

Ingredients for the Catfish Marinade:
1 quart of buttermilk
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground
1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper

Ingredients for the Spicy Cornmeal-Breaded Catfish:
4 catfish fillets, boneless
1 quart of buttermilk
3/4 to 1 cup of Canola oil (1/2 inch of oil in the bottom of the cast-iron skillet)
2 cups of yellow cornmeal
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup of Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Garnishes:
2 cups of arugula
2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
3 lemons, cut into wedges

Ingredients for the Ciabatta Bread:
1 loaf of Ciabatta bread, 8 thick slices
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of black pepper, freshly ground

Ingredients for the Lemon-Dill Mayonnaise:
1/2 cup of good mayonnaise
3 tablespoons of fresh dill, finely chopped
1 lemon, zested
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions for the Catfish Marinade:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the buttermilk, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Drop the catfish fillets into the buttermilk marinade, ensuring the fillets are coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Instructions for the Ciabatta Bread:
Arrange the 8 slices on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.

Instructions for the Spicy Cornmeal-Breaded Catfish:
Add yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a separate large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.

Set up two sheet pans to place the catfish on after they’ve been breaded.

Using tongs, remove one fillet from the buttermilk marinade, allowing the excess to drip off before dredging into the cornmeal breading mixture.

Note: If you need to add more oil to the skillet after the first two fillets are finished frying, be sure to allow the oil to heat back up to temperature.

In a preheated cast-iron skillet, heat the Canola oil over medium-high heat. You want a 1/2 inch of oil in the skillet. To check that the oil is hot enough, put a pinch of the cornmeal mixture in; if it bubbles nicely, the oil is ready. Do not overcrowd the pan. Shallow fry the fillets in batches.

Preheat the oven to 200°F.
These fillets are large; I’m frying them one at a time. Fry for 3-4 minutes on the first side, then flip carefully and cook another 3 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

When they’re done frying, set them on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle the catfish fillets with a little salt and finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley. Transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet and place them in the oven to keep warm. Repeat until all the fillets have been fried.

To serve, spread some of that delicious Lemon-Dill Mayonnaise on each half of the bread; next, add the arugula and a thick slice of tomato. Season the tomato with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. I like to serve this dish with Sautéed Lemon Pepper Asparagus and my Coleslaw With Cumin Dressing. Click on the links below for these recipes.

There you have it, my Spicy Cornmeal-Breaded Catfish Sandwiches with Lemon-Dill Mayonnaise.

Note:
1) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value matter to you, I recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and values can vary, depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2015/07/06/lemon-pepper-asparagus/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/05/15/my-cole-slaw-with-a-cumin-dressing/