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Blue Catfish Escabeche

Author: Congressional Seafood

Ingredients

  • 1 lb sea blue catfish fillets cut into 2” wide pieces
  • ¼ cup corn flour
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 small red bell pepper sliced thin
  • 1 sweet onion peeled, halved and thinly sliced
  • Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
  • Pat the blue catfish dry ¼ cup Meyer lemon juice
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme stems removed
  • 3 bay leaves
  • Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Pat the fish dry with paper towels, then season.
  • Put the flour in a shallow bowl and dust all of each filet with the flour.
  • In a heavy bottomed pot, add 1” of vegetable oil and heat until the oil reaches 360 degrees F.
  • Prepare wire rack by lining with 2 sheets of paper towels.
  • Fry the catfish in batches and drain on the paper towel lined rack.
  • Add the bell pepper, onions, lemon zest and juice, vinegar, sugar, bay and thyme to a bowl and stir to combine.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Place the warm fried fish in a shallow non-reactive container such as a glass baking dish and pour the vegetables and marinade over the top of the fish, making sure to cover it evenly with the onion and bell pepper mixture.
  • Refrigerate overnight and serve at room temperature with a salad or crusty bread.