Sauteed Catfish with Ginger Peach Sauce
Submitted by thinamani
Sauteed catfish dredged in thyme-flour, pan-fried golden, then plated under a sweet-tangy ginger peach sauce and toasted pecans. The Southern fish-fry tradition meets summer fruit in one elegant skillet dinner.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
35 minThis sauteed catfish recipe brings together two Southern traditions: pan-fried fish and ginger peach sauce. The fish gets a thyme-spiked flour dredge for that classic crisp crust, while the sauce, a simmer of peaches, ginger, and peach preserves, plays sweet-tart against the savory crunch.
Toast the pecans right in the same pan you’ll cook the fish. The nuts pick up flavor from the butter and oil, then get pulled to drain on paper towels before they burn. They become both a topping and a way to flavor the cooking fat for the fish.
Don’t crowd the pan when frying. Two batches is better than one overcrowded skillet. Crowded fillets release moisture, the temperature drops, and you end up steaming instead of crisping. Four minutes per side at proper heat gives a deep golden crust and a tender, opaque interior.
The sauce keeps. Make a double batch and stash it for two weeks in the fridge. It’s just as good on grilled shrimp, fried oysters, pork chops, or duck breast as it is on catfish.
Pro Tips
- Pat the fish very dry before dredging. Wet fish refuses to take a flour coating evenly and the crust falls off in the pan.
- Use a heavy cast-iron skillet for the most even heat. The fish browns more uniformly than in lighter pans.
- Substitute fresh peaches for canned in summer. Use the same weight, peeled and sliced, and cook until fork-tender before adding the preserves.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
You may use 1½ cup peeled sliced fresh peaches instead of the canned peaches.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; add ginger and stir 1 minute.
If using fresh peaches, add and cook, stirring occasionally, until peaches are fork tender, about 2 minutes.
Add canned peaches, if using, and preserves; stir until jam melts.
Stir in ketchup, vinegar and hot pepper sauce.
Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor and whirl until peaches are coarsely chopped.
(Sauce can be cooled and refrigerated up to 2 weeks)
To serve, warm sauce, stirring, in a sauce pan over medium heat.
Makes about 2 cups.
In a medium size bowl or pie plate, combine flour, thyme, salt and pepper.
Rinse fish and pat dry.
Dredge fish in flour mixture; shake off excess and lay fillets in a single layer on a plate.
In a 10 to 12 inch frying pan over medium heat, heat oil and butter; add pecans and stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Transfer nuts to paper towels to drain.
Add fish to pan, without overlapping (you may need to cook in 2 batches) Cook until fish is crisp and golden on bottom, about 4 minutes; turn fillets over and cook until fish is opaque and tender in center of thickest area, another 4 minutes.
Transfer fish briefly to paper towels to drain then arrange on plates.
Spoon about 3 Tablespoons warm Ginger Peach Sauce over each serving; sprinkle with pecans.
Makes 4 servings.
Ginger Peach Sauce is a nice counterpoint to the savory crispness of the fish.
Keep some around to try with fried catfish, fried oysters or grilled shrimp.
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