We Southerners love to fish. One of my favorite memories is going fishing with my Papa Garrett. He and my grandmother lived next door to us when we were kids. He taught us so many things including how to fiddle for worms. There is a scientific principle behind fiddling for worms; but, to me, it was a little bit of magic. Papa (pronounced paw-paw) would look for a big tree near the pond and clear away the dead leaves to make a good spot for the fiddling sticks. He would take one stick and drive it into the ground. Then he would take a notched stick and pull it back and forth across the stick in the ground, using a fiddling motion. Before long, big fat worms would start coming out of the ground. We would grab them and fill up our bait bucket.
We didn't have rods and reels as kids. We used a cane pole (cut from a stand of bamboo), fishing line, a weight, a red and white bobber, and a hook. We fished for crappie, catfish, bream; and, if you were really lucky, the occasional bass. Papa would bring along classic lunch food for fishing, in case they were biting good that day. This consisted of a can of Vienna Sausage or potted meat and a pack of crackers. I never liked the potted meat; but, to this day, I love Vienna Sausage though I rarely eat it. Some things are better left for memories...
If we caught a big mess of fish, it would be cleaned, filleted, and put in the freezer to save up for a fish fry. This was a favorite pastime in the summer. Along with the fried fish, we had coleslaw and hush puppies. So good but not so healthy! The fish and hush puppies were deep-fried in Crisco oil. We Southerners do like to fry things! But there are still ways to enjoy this delicious meal without deep-frying that won't compromise flavor. Read on for my daughters healthier but still very tasty version of the classic fish fry.
She bakes the fish and hushpuppies instead of deep-frying them. She also makes coleslaw that is sweetened with apple cider vinegar instead of sugar. The remoulade is a pretty classic recipe, but it could be lightened up as well. Just substitute fat-free mayo or sour cream. You could also replace some or all of the mayo or sour cream with plain Greek yogurt. You will get plenty of flavor without all of those extra empty calories.
For the fish:
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs white fish fillets - catfish (fresh only), tilapia (pictured), or cod
1 cup Zatarain's Fish Fri
Cooking spray
METHOD:
Spray a baking rack fitted onto a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
Press each filet of fish into the fish fry, coating both sides.
Spray each side of the filets with cooking spray and place on baking rack.
Bake at 450 for 15 minutes or until fish is flaky.
Serve with tartar sauce (Duke's is a favorite); cocktail sauce; or for a special treat, make your own remoulade sauce with the recipe below. I also like to have horseradish on the side for those who like to add heat to the sauces.
For the hush puppies:
INGREDIENTS:
⅓ cup white cornmeal
⅓ cup yellow cornmeal
⅓ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons minced dried onion
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
⅓ cup buttermilk
METHOD:
Mix all dry ingredients well using a whisk.
Whisk egg into buttermilk.
Add to dry ingredients and mix well.
Spoon into mini muffin pan (sprayed with cooking spray) and bake at 450 for 15 minutes. It's also helpful to spray the tops of the hushpuppies with cooking spray before putting them in the oven to keep them from drying out.
For the jalapeno coleslaw:
INGREDIENTS:
1 small cabbage or 1/2 large cabbage
1 large carrot
1 jalapeno, remove ribs and seeds for less heat or omit if you don't want the spice
¾ cup mayo
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
METHOD:
Grate the cabbage, carrot, and jalapeno (if using) using the grating attachment of a food processor. Scrape the grated veggies into a bowl.
Add remaining ingredients.
Mix well and chill until ready to serve.
For the remoulade:
INGREDIENTS:
⅓ cup sour cream
⅓ cup mayo
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons, fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon cajun seasoning
METHOD:
Mix all ingredients together.
Chill until ready to serve.
