Tag: fish recipe

Southern Fish Fry

Fish Fry

My Fish Fry Recipe!

I know it seems like I recently posted about a fish fry recipe but the point was to illustrate that you can either purchase a simple fish fry from a box, or you can wait for my perfected Southern Fish Fry recipe.  You see, it’s taken me almost 3 years to break down the truth and the simplicity of the succulent Cat Fish Fry recipes, cooked in the south.  Places like Schooner’s, Bay Town or Chicken Express have the best southern fish fry batter that leaves the filet’s crispy yet moist, and very sweet and buttery.  They’re fantastic.  Apparently, however, all of the restaurants in the south have known the secret for years but they’re just not so hip on sharing it.  To make matters worse, even the Chinese Buffets, in the south, know the secrets to frying great Cat Fish.  I’ve heard everything from a pre-fry brine or overnight buttermilk soak (which actually pulls out the fishy taste) to Italian dressing and mustard marinades.  It’s insane.  The problem was, though those marinades provide a pretty decent taste for the fish, it still wasn’t what I was looking for, and I tried them all.

Cat Fish Poor Boy

The Fish Fry Secret

Truthfully I about killed over when I figured out how easy this recipe really is.  Nothing to it, AT ALL!  The crazy thing is, I actually tried a version like this before but for some reason it didn’t turn out right.  So I dismissed this recipe and moved on, wasting another year picking apart other ideas.  Hilarious right?  Well, not to me.  Normally I can pick apart almost any recipe in seconds and tell you exactly what’s in it.  Anyone that has been following my recipes can attest to that by now.  I don’t read cook books unless I absolutely have to.  But some secrets aren’t in print, and some printed recipes just list “secret” in the title just to get you to read their content, and usually they aren’t any where near the vicinity of the correct ingredients for that particular recipe.  Anyway, short and sweet, I’ve GOT IT!  I’m very pleased and proud to announce that I do.  However, I’m embarrassed that it took me this long for this simple recipe.  But who’s really going to deny the craving for catfish Po’Boy that looks like this…?

Southern Fish Fry Ingredients:

1 Fish Filet (medium 10 to 12 oz)
1 cup Yellow Corn Meal
1/4 cup Yellow Corn Flour or Masa
1/2 tsp Paprika
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Black Pepper

EGG WASH
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk

Cut your filet into desired portions, then egg wash the fish and batter in the Corn Meal.  Let it rest for 5 minutes, then fry the filet portions at 375 degrees until golden brown.  Serve and enjoy this traditional Southern Fish Fry recipe today.

Poor Man’s LOBSTER

Making Poor Man’s Lobster!

Though this recipe for Poor Man’s Lobster may seem like a play on words here in the Poor Man’s Gourmet Kitchen, I assure you the title and name of this recipe is for real.  Poor Man’s Lobster dates way back and it is a legitimate recipe and cheaper alternative to the real thing.  I can buy a healthy Filet of Cod that will break down into over a dozen 5 oz Lobster tail size pieces for only $12 bucks!  Poor man’s Lobster can be made with Halibut too, and it is the preferred method as far as flavor goes, but you’re also going to be spending a little more for that cut to equal the amount of meat you can slice out of a Cod.  Either way, you will find your self with a few more bills in your wallet if you purchase these two fish and follow a recipe like this one, vs. shelling out the clams for the real deal.  A dozen 5 to 8 oz Lobster tails is going to cost you a minimum of 60 bucks.  So stay with me here and I’ll show you a cheaper, healthy Alternative!

Cutting your Fillet is Simple.  Using a sharp knife, cut across the width of the fillet keeping a 1 1/2 inch portion between each slice.  This will accurately portion out every cut piece to approximately the same size of tail meat you would be pulling from the average lobster tail.  Now all you have to do is follow the recipe below to properly season the water for your Poor Man’s Lobster boil.

Poor Man’s Lobster Ingredients:

1 cod filet
1 pot of water (approximately 1 qt)
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice or half squeezed lemon
1/4 stick of butter
2 bay leaves (optional)