Photo by Sonia Mendez Garcia Once or twice a year I do enjoy a good fish fry in a beer batter. I found a great deal on American catfish and could not pass it up. I thought, now I can satisfy my craving. Catfish is very mild tasting and the batter cooks up light and crispy. Until that time, the only way I had ever eaten catfish is blackened and seared. My first thought was to serve it with some homemade salsa, but when I realized I had some cabbage available, immediately I thought ... crunchy slaw! This is my version of a fish taco but on a tostada, an edible little plate, perfect! This dish is great for Lent or a summer party. Fish does not have to be boring - it can be delicious, savory and colorful.
Ingredients
- For the Fish
- 1½ pounds catfish sliced into 1-inch pieces (about 24 pieces)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup flour
- 12 ounces lager-style beer
- 1/3 teaspoon Cayenne pepper or chipotle powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- For the Mango Cabbage Slaw
- 4 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 large mango sliced into thin strips
- 1/2 red onion sliced thin
- 2 red Fresno peppers deseeded and sliced (or jalapeño if Fresno not available)
- 1/3 cup cilantro plus more for garnish
- 4 tablespoons lime juice
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- You Will Also Need
- 8 corn tostadas homemade or store-bought
- Lemon or lime wedges
- hot sauce
- Mexican crema or sour cream (optional)
Directions
- After slicing the catfish, season it lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to use. If using frozen catfish, defrost for a couple of days in the refrigerator and blot off any excess moisture with paper towels.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/3 teaspoon Cayenne pepper. Stir to combine then whisk in the cold beer until mostly smooth. Cover and let sit for up to 1 hour.
- In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the mango cabbage slaw in the order listed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
- Preheat oven to 200ºF. In a medium sauce pan, preheat 3 cups of oil to medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes. You want a temperature of at least 350ºF.
- Fold the catfish pieces into the batter until evenly coated. When oil is hot, gently drop in 3 to 4 pieces of fish into oil. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer onto metal rack lined with a baking sheet. Keep warm in the oven until all the fish is fried. To serve, add some slaw onto tostadas, add 3 catfish nuggets. Garnish with cilantro, lemon/lime wedges, hot sauce and crema.
Chef Notes
When preparing a beer batter, I suggest you prepare it at least 1 hour before. This gives it time to soak up all the dry spices and thicken. Leftover beer-battered fish can easily reheat to crispy in the oven, toaster oven or in a dry nonstick skillet on the stove top. There is no need to add any more oil, just heat at medium/low heat until crispy.
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