Catfish Pecan with Meuniere Sauce ►
Before commercial catfish farming began in 1965, catfish was mostly a Southern specialty. Now farm-raised catfish of excellent quality is available year-round, and its firm, sweet, white flesh — low in calories, fat and cholesterol — is becoming a national favorite. Chef Dick Brennan shares his version of one of Louisiana’s favorite ways to serve fish: sauteed in a pecan crust and served with a spicy meuniere sauce.
Ingredients
- Catfish Pecan
- Catfish Fillets - 6 (5-7 OZ each)
- Pecans - 3 cups, roasted
- Bread Crumbs - 1 cup, dried
- All-Purpose Flour - 1 cup
- Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon, freshly ground
- Eggs - 3
- Milk - 1/2 cup
- Seafood Seasoning
- Olive Oil
- Meuniere Sauce
- Fish Stock - 2 cups (alt. bottled clam juice)
- Lemon Juice - 1/2 lemon
- Worcestershire Sauce - 1 teaspoon
- Louisiana Hot Sauce - dash
- Heavy (Whipping) Cream - 1 tablespoon
- Unsalted Butter - 1/2 cup (1 stick)
- Pecans - 1-1/2 cups, roasted, whole
Instructions
To prepare the catfish: Preheat the oven to 450 F. Trim all fat from the catfish fillets. In a blender or food processor, grind the pecans and bread crumbs until fine. Pour into a pie pan. Place the flour in another pie pan and stir in the salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. Season the catfish with the seafood seasoning, dredge in the flour, dip in the egg mixture, and coat with the pecan mixture. Film the bottom of a large ovenproof saute pan or skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Add the fish and brown on both sides. Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes.
To make the sauce: In a medium saucepan, cook the fish stock, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Add the heavy cream and cook to reduce for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter.
To serve: Place a fish fillet on each warmed serving plate. Spoon meuniere sauce over and around the fillets. Sprinkle with whole pecans.
