I admit that without cornmeal this is somewhat inauthentic, but my catfish-loving spouse thought it was great. Catfish is among the least expensive fish, too, so this is a bargain to serve.
YIELD: Serves 3, unless one of them is my husband, in which case it may only serve 2, each serving has 4 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 3 grams of usable carbs and 30 grams of protein.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/4 cup finely ground almonds
- 1/4 cup finely ground hazelnuts
- 2 tablespoons rice protein powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 pound catfish fillets
- Oil for frying (peanut, canola, or sunflower)
- Lemon wedges
INSTRUCTIONS:
- On a plate, combine the almonds, hazelnuts, protein powder, and seasoned salt, stirring well.
- In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with the water.
- Wash and dry the catfish fillets. Dip each one in the egg, then in the nut mixture, pressing it well into the fish.
- If you have a deep fryer, by all means use it to fry your fish until it’s a deep gold color (7 to 10 minutes). If you don’t, use a large, heavy skillet. Pour 1 inch of oil into the skillet, and put it over medium-high heat. Let it heat for at least 5 minutes; you don’t want to put your fish in until the oil is up to temperature. ( To test the oil, carefully put in one drop-no more-of water. It should sizzle, but not make the oil spit. If the oil spits, it’s too hot. Turn the burner down and wait for it to cool a bit.)
- When the oil is hot, put in your fish, and fry it until it’s a deep gold in color. If the oil doesn’t completely cover the fish, you’ll have to carefully turn it after about 5 minutes. (Figure 7 to 10 minutes total frying time.) Serve with lemon wedges.
