Ingredients
Chipotle Cream Sauce:
- 1 cup mayonnaise (recommended: Miracle Whip)
- 3/4 cup Creole mustard (recommended: Zatarains)
- 2 large chipotle peppers in adobo, seeded
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the canned chipotles
- 3 scallions, greens only, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups heavy cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Slaw:
- 1/2 head purple cabbage, sliced
- 1/2 head white cabbage, sliced
- 1 carrot, julienne
- 1 purple onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 to 2 limes, juiced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Catfish Balls:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 purple onion, finely chopped
- 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
- Peanut oil, for frying
- 2 pounds catfish fillets
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup Creole mustard (recommended: Zatarains)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs, divided
- 15 fresh flour tortillas
- 1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated
Catfish Tacos:
- Cook's Note: Make the chipotle cream sauce and the slaw first and refrigerate.
Directions
For the chipotle cream sauce: Put all the ingredients in a blender, except the heavy cream and salt and pepper. Blend well. Remove from the blender to a mixing bowl and slowly whisk in the heavy cream. All the cream may not be needed. The correct consistency, is like a crema. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Add more chipotle in adobo for more spice, if desired. Cover and refrigerate.
For the slaw: Add the cabbages to a mixing bowl. Toss with the carrot, onion, cilantro, olive oil and lime juice, to taste. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Mix well, cover and refrigerate.
For the catfish balls: In a hot skillet, over medium heat, add the butter, onion, jalapeno, and garlic. As it is cooking, add a pinch of salt, cracked pepper, paprika and cumin. Saute until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Heat enough peanut oil in a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, to come halfway up the sides of the pot, to 350 degrees F.
Remove any silver skin from the fillets. Pulse the catfish in the food processor until it is chopped, about 30 seconds. You don't want to puree the fish, just chop it into small chunks. Put the fish in a mixing bowl and add the cilantro, Creole mustard, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise and Jack cheese. Add the cooled onion mixture to the bowl along with another pinch of salt and pepper. Mix gently with a spoon, then gently mix in 1 cup of the panko bread crumbs. The consistency will still be wet, but still formable for the catfish balls. Put the remainder of the bread crumbs into a bowl. Scoop out the catfish mixture using a 2 tablespoon-size scoop and form into a ball shape. Don't make the catfish balls to be too big, they won't cook all the way through.
Roll the balls in the panko bread crumbs, and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Carefully drop them into the hot oil and fry in batches of 5 or 6 depending on your fryer. Do not crowd. Fry the balls for about 3 to 4 minutes. They are done when they are slightly more than golden brown. Remove from the oil and let cool on a paper towel lined sheet pan. Check the first batch to make sure they are cooked through. Repeat the process with the remaining fish mixture.
Remove the chipotle sauce and the slaw from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature to remove some of the chill. Heat the tortillas. Stack 7 or 8 tortillas and wrap in a damp kitchen or paper towel and microwave for about 15 seconds. Repeat with remaining tortillas. They can also be wrapped in foil and heated in the oven.
Add 2 or 3 catfish balls, depending on the size, to a tortilla, and slightly crush them. Some people tear them completely apart, it is up to you. Top with a little grated Jack cheese, chipotle cream sauce and slaw. Repeat with remaining tortillas and fillings. Arrange on a serving platter and enjoy with a nice cerveza.
A viewer, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs cannot make representation as to the results.
Photo: Catfish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw and Chipotle Cream Sauce Recipe















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By theresekemp_7846792
Minneapolis, MN
on February 27, 2012
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We use this recipe all of the time. If my neighbors know I am making Fish Tacos they often just happen to stop by. There are a couple of changes I make that seem to even make it easier. #1 - I don't use Catfish. I just cook halibut or cod out of my freezer. I have also made this with winter caught jumbo perch out of a lake in Minnesota. I just use a light batter made from Krusteaz Pancake Mix, cheap lager beer and poultry seasoning. I like to make it a day a head and keep it in the refrigerator so it can pick up the flavors. The chipolte sauce is key to this recipe but I also make changes with it. The first thing is it makes way too much. I generally cut the recipe in half. I also use Chipolte powder instead of chipolte in adobe sauce. I don't care for the adobe flavor. I use about 1 T for a half of recipe. This is a little bit of work, but once you have it down it will be a family favorite.
By mctry2003
Milton, VT
on December 18, 2011
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All I can say is WOW. There is alot of flavor in these!! I have made it multiple times. I have baked the balls instead of frying...Still Awesome!! I have substituted yogurt for the sour cream and some of the mayo..Still awesome..
I have used the cream sauce for
Deviled Egg Filling..Half cup per 6 eggs..OMG AWESOME..Throw in a little Smoked paprika...
Mixed it with spaghetti squash and cooked ground beef onions garlic and beens..Awesome again.
Fried up mushrooms and onions and uses it as a sauce on my steak..Awesome again.
Anyway. If your looking at this recipe and like the ingredients individually you'll love them together..Enjoy!
By Missyprissy03
Amherst, VA
on June 16, 2011
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Absolutely love this recipe. I do have a question if anyone can answer. No matter how long we fry the catfish balls, and even though they feel hot all the way through to the touch, they always seem wet inside. Is this how they are suppose to be? Am I doing something wrong? If anyone can help, please do. We love these tacos.
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