Cajun Fried Catfish with Chile-Tartar Sauce

Cajun seasoning is all about the spices—not necessarily hot spices, but aromatic and bold with rich, smoky flavor. And, yes, a little bit of heat. The seasoning isn’t complicated, since the ingredients are simple and easy to find. The key lies in using enough. In other words, don’t be shy.

Common ingredients include ground cayenne, paprika, black pepper, dried oregano and thyme, and onion powder. Cajun-style fish is often served blackened—fast, high-temperature cooking that darkens the spice coating and seals in that delicious Cajun flavor.

Spices for Cajun Seasoning

For this recipe, I wanted a crunchy coating of cornmeal blended with the spices to give the catfish a down-home southern flair. A simple dollop of homemade tartar sauce gives the crispy fish a cool, creamy finish—with a little heat of its own.

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the Tartar Sauce

• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp finely chopped dill pickle
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp chopped capers
• 1/4 tsp dried red chile flakes
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the Catfish

• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano or thyme (or a blend)
• 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 2 6-oz skinless catfish filets or 1 12-oz filet, halved (about 3/4 inch in thickest part)
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• sea salt

Catfish Pieces

Preparation

For the Tartar Sauce

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients (through chile flakes) in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (May also be made a day ahead.)

Tartar Sauce Ingredients 

Chile-Tartar Sauce

For the Catfish

1. Whisk the egg in a shallow bowl.
2. Combine the cornmeal and next 5 ingredients (through onion powder) in a sturdy, sealable plastic bag.
3. Dip each filet in the egg, letting excess drip off. Place the filets in the bag with the spice mixture and shake to coat all over.
4. Transfer the coated fish to a plate and refrigerate 30 minutes (refrigeration helps the coating adhere to the fish while cooking).

Combine the Spices in a Bag

Cajun-Seasoned Catfish

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the peanut oil. Season the filets with salt and fry until dark golden brown and just cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness.

Fish Beginning to Fry

Cajun Fried Catfish

Serve the fish dolloped with chile-tartar sauce, or serve the sauce alongside.

Cajun Fried Catfish with Chile-Tartar Sauce