Recipes

Southern-Style Catfish With Tomato-Zucchini Rice

Southern-Style Catfish With Tomato-Zucchini Rice
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Catfish is making a comeback, and as Feed Me Phoebe demonstrates with this recipe, it doesn't get any better than when it's dusted in cornmeal and served alongside a savory rice made with two of summer's most valuable players, tomatoes and zucchini.  Click here to see 10 Great Zucchini Recipes to Make with Your Bounty.
Servings
2
servings
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cup chicken stock, or water
  • 1 cup arkansas rice*
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 1 large zucchini, diced
  • 2 cup assorted cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
  • 6 assorted radishes, trimmed, halved, and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped green cabbage
  • 2 teaspoon honey
  • juice from 1/2 a lime
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped purple cabbage
  • 2 catfish fillets, skins removed
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • olive oil, as needed
  • 2 cup buttermilk
Directions
  1. In a medium saucepan, bring the stock or water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the rice, butter, and salt. Cover tightly and remove to the lowest possible heat. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the onion over medium-high heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and continue to sauté until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have released their juices, about 7 minutes.
  3. Fluff the rice with a fork and transfer to the pan with the tomato mixture. Stir to combine. Off the heat, add the lemon juice and cilantro. Taste for seasoning.
  4. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium-mixing bowl, reserving some of the radish slices for garnish. Toss until incorporated. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as necessary.
  5. Arrange the catfish fillets in a shallow bowl or baking dish. Pour the buttermilk over the fish. Marinate for 10 minutes.
  6. Coat a cast-iron skillet with a generous layer of olive oil over high heat. Place the cornmeal on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Remove the catfish from the buttermilk and dredge it in the cornmeal on both sides, shaking off any excess. When the pan is smoking, add the catfish fillets. Fry on both sides until golden brown and very crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. When the catfish is cool enough to touch, cut each fillet into 2 pieces.
  7. To serve, place 2 cups of rice on each plate and top with 2 pieces of catfish. Using a slotted spoon and leaving as much juice as possible in the mixing bowl, scoop about ¼ cup of slaw on top of the fish. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and some additional sliced radishes. Enjoy immediately.
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