southern essentials: oven-baked catfish

How To Make southern essentials: oven-baked catfish

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  Step 1
  PREP/PREPARE
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  Step 2
  THE COATING
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  Step 3
  Gather your ingredients.
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  Step 4
  Add all of the coating ingredients to a large bowl, thoroughly mix, and reserve.
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  Step 5
  THE CATFISH
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  Step 6
  Gather your ingredients.
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  Step 7
  Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 425f (220c).
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  Step 8
  Add the hot sauce and the buttermilk to a shallow dish large enough to hold the filets.
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  Step 9
  Place the filets in the dish, and allow them to sit for 8 minutes.
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  Step 10
  After eight minutes, flip the filets over for an additional 8 minutes.
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  Step 11
  Chef’s Note: In place of the dish, you could always use a large Ziploc sealable bag.
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  Step 12
  Chef’s Note: I tried several ways to make the wet ingredients for this recipe. I tried eggs; however, I didn’t like the taste of the eggs with the coating, and they made the fish feel mushy. I tried using regular and non-fat milk, but neither of them gave me the taste I was searching for. I finally settled on that old Southern favorite buttermilk… that and a bit of hot sauce did the trick.
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  Step 13
  While the catfish are soaking up that yummy buttermilk/hot sauce mixture, place a wire rack over a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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  Step 14
  One at a time take a filet, shake off the excess buttermilk, and thoroughly coat with the cornmeal mixture.
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  Step 15
  Place on the wire rack, and repeat for the remaining filets.
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  Step 16
  Place in the preheated oven and cook until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
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  Step 17
  Chef's Essentials: If you don’t have a wire rack that you can use in baking, I highly recommend that you purchase one. They are so useful. For example, if you don’t use a wire rack in this recipe, you should go in halfway through baking and flip the fish. In my opinion, this is an essential tool that all chefs should have in their kitchens.
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  Step 18
  PLATE/PRESENT
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  Step 19
  Serve up while still nice and warm with some homemade hushpuppies, some coleslaw, and maybe a few fries. Oh, and don’t forget good tarter sauce, and maybe more hot sauce. Enjoy.
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  Step 20
  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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  Step 21
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