Author Topic: catfish and hushpuppies (Read 3173 times)

kevin.303 · « **on:** April 19, 2004, 07:43:43 AM »

my buddy and i lucked into a spot for good eating kitty's last fall. when the season opens in 3-4 weeks we plan to eat all we catch. we decided to do them southern style with a cajun batter mix he has. it's fairly mild 'cause i can't tolerate spice. what i'm looking for is some authentic southron side dishes. i figure since a large part of the main users on GBO live below the mason-dixon line it would be a good place to ask. one of my big questions is whats a hushpuppie? i always here referances to them in movies but have no idea what they are. i would also like a good recipe for redeye gravy to go with my chicken fried steak.

MOGorilla · « **Reply #1 on:** April 20, 2004, 07:34:11 AM »

If you have never had a hushpuppy, you were one deprived child. A hushpuppy is truly just a fried piece of cornbread. I think in the old days, the milk that was used to dip the fish before dredging was mixed with the spiced corn meal breading and then fried. Originally, the story goes they were fried and thrown to the dogs to keep them from begging for the fish.

Here is my family recipe:

1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup corn meal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter

My mother always insisted that some fish had to be fried first to make the hushpuppies taste right, so in a deep skillet (these need to be deep fried), after frying some fish, drop by spoon full in to the grease. They will float to the top , when the underside is dark brown, flip them over carefully. When uniformly brown pull them out and allow them to cool. Serve with the catfish. For true southern treat dip them in molasses.

For the above recipe if you omit the onions and double the recipe, bake @400 in a cast iron skillet, greased with butter, you have very tasty cornbread, serve warm with butter, honey, or apple butter.

kevin.303 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 26, 2004, 05:15:18 AM »

i made some this weekend with some store bought catfish and thought they where pretty good. i also added some taco seasoning and next time i'll add more onions. my dad tried them in molasses and was surprised that it actually tasted good. i made the cornbread yesterday but actually found it to be kinda tasteless. i think that was my first time actually eatinng catfish and was surprised at the taste it had a cajun seasoning and didn't taste very fishy at all. it was much more firmer to cut then most fish and was more like pork or chicken. my favourite thing about it was that in a one pound slab of meat there was absolutly not a single bone. i like northern pike too but by the time i pick every little bone out its usually stone cold.

smoky · « **Reply #3 on:** May 17, 2004, 10:46:35 AM »

There are many, many variations of hush puppy recipes here in the South. Some include Jalepeno peppers some include kernel corn, some include green onions. Many restaurants down here bring em to the table when you first sit down. The cajun word for that is Lagniappe (which means a little extra for nothin).

Catfish is indeed very tasty and smaller ones are even fried whole (after skinning, deheading and gutting of course). You can just rake the meat right off the center bone.

But if you ever get the chance to dine on fried speckled trout (which is an inland salt water fish here in La) then you've got somethin!

Regards,

Smoky

smoky · « **Reply #4 on:** May 17, 2004, 11:03:20 AM »

I guess I didn't answer the rest of your question. That is, some of the sides that we have with catfish include Potato Salad (pronounced Tater Salad), baked beans with lots of molasses in the recipe, Banana Pudding (pronounced Nanner Puddin), and cajun rice dressing (also called dirty rice), which is a mixture of browned loose sausage or ground meat mixed with rice and seasoning veggies(bell pepper, onion, celery).

If its a typical Friday night fish fry, outside, then foods that can be cooked in the same grease are common and include french fries (best if home made from fresh potatoes) and hush puppies.

Smoky

gwindrider1 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 09, 2005, 11:46:53 AM »

Damn Smoky, you're makin' me homesick!

Bob Hurley · « **Reply #6 on:** March 27, 2005, 03:07:40 PM »

Quote from: kevin.303

i would also like a good recipe for redeye gravy to go with my chicken fried steak.

To make redeye gravy, fry some country ham (not picnic ham) in a cast iron skillet. Remove skillet from heat, and with a wooden spoon stir in a half-cup or so of water. This "deglazes" the skillet loosening all the brown bits, so stir them up into the gravy as they loosen. Skim most of the clear fat/oil from the ham off the top, and use water to adjust the strength. It will be very thin, so you need use some kind of bread to chase it around the plate.

You can't make it in the pan drippings from chicken-fried steak, it won't be redeye. What you make instead is "milk gravy". Fry steaks and remove, and sprinkle enough flour in the remaining grease/oil from frying to make a thin paste called a "roux". Keep cooking, stirring constantly, on medium heat until it gets the color you like - darker is richer. Even if you want it light, cook until most of the tiny bubbles stop coming from the flour, or you'll have a pasty flour taste to the gravy. When it's like you want it, remove from heat and add milk while stirring constantly until you get the consistency you like - hot milk combines much better, I'd recommend it for your first try or two. Season with lots of fresh-ground black pepper. If you have trouble getting the milk and roux to blend, just grab a wire whisk and it's have the lumps out in no time, providing you do it while it's still hot off the stove.

halfbreed · « **Reply #7 on:** September 10, 2005, 03:19:37 PM »

we always use strong coffee instead of water for the redeye gravy, we only do this once in a great while, seems kinda fattening!
the hushpuppies sound right on, of course so does the trimmings, but you need some green onions in there too, and some good cold beer really hits the spot, after a day out fishing.
Halfbreed

kevin.303 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 10, 2005, 07:46:20 PM »

yes i made them again last week, this time adding diced, garden fresh green onions to the batter. dee-lish!

Greybeard · « **Reply #9 on:** September 11, 2005, 01:44:17 AM »

A proper southern meal of catfish consists of the fried catfish, hushpuppies and cole slaw.

There are at least a million recipes for each. But cajun is NOT the standard by any means. More often than not especially in the days when I was growning up in the 50s we used just plain corn meal with a bit of flour and maybe salt to batter the catfish. Most often they might get dipped in some beaten eggs to help make the batter stick.

Hushpuppy recipes sure vary widely. The one given above is a good one but I purely love to add a bit of chopped up bell pepper to them. Momma never did but it shore do improve the taste to me.

Cole slaw in the days of my youth were made from grated cabbage and carrots. Never did exactly figure out what the heck else was added to get the liquid content just right. Most likely mayo was a major ingredient. I didn't pay so much attention to how food was prepared, I mostly just concentrated on eating it. :-D

jvs · « **Reply #10 on:** September 12, 2005, 09:20:10 PM »

I might be able to help you with a recipe for 'Cole Slaw' with Mayo in it but first I need to know what you call Cloe Slaw. Over the years I have noticed that when you go to different parts of the country the same things can be called something else.

For instance, up here Cole Slaw is made with clear ingredients while 'Creamed Cabbage' is made with Mayo in the recipe. Cole Slaw is the same thing as 'Pickled Cabbage' around here.

For a fish dinner Creamed Cabbage is almost a must as a side dish. Although some people like fish with a cabbage side made with just clear ingredients. If you ask for Cloe Slaw up here, there will be no Mayo as an ingredient for the sauce.

For Creamed Cabbage use:
1 small or medium head of cabbage (grated). Also grate one or two Carrots
1 cup - Kraft Mayo
1 cup - White Vinegar
1 cup - Granulated Sugar

There is a difference in taste between Mayo's and we always use Kraft.

Add Mayo, Sugar and Vinegar to the grated Cabbage and Carrots and mix well. Add equal amounts of each until you reach the right consistency.

At this point you can either add more of one or two ingredients for more Sweet, or more Sour, or more 'Creamy', depending on your personal taste. But start with equal amounts until you reach consistency.

I don't have a recipe for what is known as Cole Slaw in these parts.

Wynn · « **Reply #11 on:** February 19, 2006, 01:08:25 PM »

Besides the cole slaw, hush puppies and beans w/ molasses, fried catfish is great with cheese grits.

kevin.303 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 19, 2006, 05:13:26 PM »

cheese grits? there's another recipe i need!

Don Fischer · « **Reply #13 on:** February 27, 2006, 04:23:13 PM »

At "Catfish O'Harley's" just west of Ft. Worth, they make hushpuppies with creamed corn, great!

Quote

guess I didn't answer the rest of your question. That is, some of the sides that we have with catfish include Potato Salad (pronounced Tater Salad), baked beans with lots of molasses in the recipe, Banana Pudding (pronounced Nanner Puddin), and cajun rice dressing (also called dirty rice), which is a mixture of browned loose sausage or ground meat mixed with rice and seasoning veggies(bell pepper, onion, celery).

Ya forgot the fried pickles and squarsh!!!

srwshooter · « **Reply #14 on:** March 25, 2006, 01:51:29 PM »

batter your fish lightly in house autry seafood mix, pan fry in a little olive oil or peanut oil. sprinkle on a lttle creole seasoning. thats all it needs.

GH1 · « **Reply #15 on:** March 22, 2009, 09:43:55 AM »

Catfish I like to soak in a marinade made with 2 parts beer to 1 part Louisiana hot sauce. A few minutes is plenty. Then I dredge them in Zatarain's Fish fry, spiced up with cayenne pepper. Then I deep fry, it's pretty simple. I like to cut the fillets, I think it makes them cook faster. Catfish nuggets can be done the same way.
Hush puppies are made with flour, cornmeal, creamed corn, diced jalapeno, onion, green pepper, green onion, and milk. Be careful not to make the hush puppie batter too wet, or it won't hold it's shape in the oil.

Here's a link to check out.
www.recipezaar.com
GH1

briarpatch · « **Reply #16 on:** March 22, 2009, 03:23:58 PM »

Somebody covered redeye gravy, Its made from coffee. Fry up some tender loin or good country ham and take a cup of coffee, so strong it will float an iron wedge and mix it in the grease after you remove the fried meat. That is redeye gravy. All you need now is a pan of cathead bisquits.

hillbill · « **Reply #17 on:** March 29, 2009, 02:29:52 PM »

if yu catch and eat a lot of cats yu may git tired of deep fried, try sum nice thick catfish steaks grilled over hot coals with nuttin on them but salt and pepper.watch them close tho, 5 min on each side depending on thickness, pull them off when they flake nice.very nice with a pot of boiled taters, green beans and turnips seasoned with ranch dressing. hillbilly riverbank food.

pastorp · « **Reply #18 on:** April 11, 2009, 03:38:00 PM »

I'm with Greybeard on the catfish menu except it don't hurt my feelings none if you cook a pot of grits too. My family always had grits and hushpuppies with any fish meal. Cole slaw also.

I don't get many catfish up here in the frozen north. I do have some halibut thawing for supper. Guess I'll get by.

Regards,

uncowboy · « **Reply #19 on:** June 21, 2009, 11:42:20 AM »

Not southern but I love fish and Chips.
I take Ant Jamimas pancake mix and make it acording to directions substitute BEER(Micalobe) for the water-milk, If you want it cagen use caj Seasoning on the Filets . If not I like Lemmon pepper. I sprinkle it on the fish and then dip it into the batter and into the hot oil till golden brown. I cook French Fries -CHIPS if your a brit and serve with cold beer . Tigar sause or any dipping sause you like. Meal fit for a king! J.Michael