dinner · everyday
Crisp catfish with pepper tomato gravy
Cornmeal-crusted pan-fried catfish served over rice with a slow-simmered bell pepper, celery and tomato sauce.
- Time
- 40min
- Steps
- 5
Ingredients
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Allergens
Contains milk.
Worked out from the ingredient names, so it can miss what a brand adds or what a factory handles. Swaps change it too. Always read the labels, and if an allergy is serious, check every product. Allergies, food safety and our disclaimer.
Shopping list
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Equipment
Nothing beyond a knife, a board and the usual pots and pans.
Helpful, not essential: Kitchen thermometer.
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Method
-
1
Dice the bell pepper and celery into ¼-inch pieces and soften them in 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil over medium heat for 6 minutes.
-
2
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, half the fine salt and a pinch of cayenne. Simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce coats a spoon.
-
3
Mix the cornmeal with the remaining salt and cayenne. Pat the catfish dry, dip it in the buttermilk and press both sides firmly into the cornmeal.
-
4
Heat the rest of the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the fish for 3–5 minutes per side, until golden and 63°C (145°F) at the thickest point.
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5
Warm the cooked rice until steaming. Serve the fish over the rice with the sauce spooned alongside so the coating stays crisp.
