Guess what's on sale this week? CATFISH! Just in time for lenten "fish on Friday" meals! Head out to Super S to pick up the following ingredients so that you can put fish on your menu for the next 2 weeks!
These recipes don't get prepped and put in the freezer this time. You'll have to actually cook them on the day you serve them. That's okay! You'll love the results and nothing is complicated!
Some ingredients have prices that I've actually researched, and some are best-that-I-can-do estimates. (It's hard to estimate the cost of a 1/2 tsp. of pepper!)
Here's our lineup of meals: Cajun Fried Catfish PoBoys and Southwestern Fish Tacos. (kids might not go for the last recipe, so have some fish sticks on hand for them!)
For 4 servings at each meal, make sure you have the following on hand:
2 lbs. Catfish ($1.27/lb. at Super S)
2 tsp. Cajun or Creole Seasoning (.99/ea for Zatarain's 8 oz. at Super S)
2 tsp. seasoned salt (.99 at Dollar General)
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (.10)
2 tbsp. milk (.20)
Olive oil for pan frying + 1/3 cup (.50)
4 Kaiser rolls ($1.50)
Sliced pickles (.20)
Lettuce (.50)
4 tomato ($1.00)
4 tbsp. tartar sauce (.80)
1/4 c. cider vinegar (.20)
1/4 c. vegetable (canola) oil + 4 tbsp. (.20)
cooking spray
1/4 head green cabbage ($1.00) (save the rest for next set of recipes!)
5 tbsp. lime juice (.50)
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (.10)
1 avacado, peeled and pit removed ($1.00)
1 clove garlic (.10)
3 tbsp. chopped cilantro (.50)
1/4 red onion, finely chopped (.30)
8 tortillas (1.20)
SHOPPING DAY:
When you get home from the grocery store, separate the 2 lbs. of catfish into 2 freezer bags. Seal well. Freeze. Add both meals to your MENU.
COOKING DAY #1 - Southwestern Fish Tacos:
1) Shred 1/4 head of cabbage. Put into a large bowl and mix together the cabbage, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. seasoned salt. Refrigerate.
2) Chop jalapeno. Chop 1 pound of fish into 2 x 2 cubes. Place fish in a bowl. Top with mixture of 3 tbsp. lime juice and half the chopped jalepeno, seasoned salt, and 1/3 cup olive oil.
3) In a food processor or blender, combine the avacado, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 chopped jalepeno, 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro, 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt, 2 tbsp. lime juice, 2 tbsp. canola oil, and 1/4 cup water. Put in a serving bowl and chill.
4) Chop 1-1/2 tomatoes and put in a serving bowl.
5) Drain fish. Heat a skillet over medium-high. Cook fish, stirring often, until done. Transfer to a serving bowl.
6) Heat tortillas.
7) To eat, place spoonfuls of fish down center of a tortilla. Sprinkle with onion, tomatoes, cilantro, cabbage, and avacado sauce. YUMMM!!!!
COOKING DAY #2 - Cajun Fried Catfish PoBoys:
1) Slice 1 pound catfish into 2-1/2" strips. Place pieces in a bowl. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp. milk and allow to set for 15 minutes.
2) In a flat casserole dish, mix together 1/4 cup cornmeal, 2 tsp. cajun seasoning, 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper.
3) Dredge catfish pieces in the cornmeal mix.
4) Heat a skillet over med-high. Add some olive oil (enough to pan fry). Pan fry fish until done, about 3 minutes per side.
5) Toast 4 kaiser rolls. Slice 1 tomato, a few red onion slices, and some lettuce.
6) Coat toasted sides of Kaiser rolls with tartar sauce. Sandwich fried fish, pickle slices, tomato slices, red onion slices, and lettuce between the top and bottom buns. YUMMM!!!
(Great served with potato chips, onion rings, or fries!)
