Fried Catfish

The key to good fried catfish (or any other type of fish) is to get fresh, thin-sliced fish. Another key is to use Zatarain's Seasoned Fish Fri (available at https://www.mccormick.com/zatarains). Finally, you should fry in peanut oil if possible. 

 The process is really simple. First, use a cast iron dutch oven or other heavy pot. Put about 2 - 3 inches of peanut oil in the pot. On high heat, bring the oil up to about 375 degrees. If it is the right temperature, a little fish fri put in the pan will sizzle 

 Prepare the fish so that the fillets are thin - no thicker than 1/4 - 1/2 inch. 

Make sure that the fish is moist but not overly wet. Then dredge fish in fish fri. We usually do this by putting about 3 or 4 pieces in a tupperware container filled with fish fri. Shake the container. 

 Place the fish in the hot oil - do not crowd. Let the fish brown to a light color (about 2 - 3 minutes at most) and turn to brown other side. The fish will float as it gets done. Do not overcook as this will cause the fish to be tough and rubbery.

   

We also fry shrimp the same way. Shrimp should be large 20 - 30 count per pound. Cooking times are shorter on shrimp so remove when light tan or brown.

Billy's Hushpuppies

I am posting a lot of recipes my dad made. But, they come to me in a batch of memories and I can't separate them. These hushpuppies were always a hit at any fish fry. My parents didn't need much of an excuse to invite 20 or so people over for fried fish, hushpuppies, and coleslaw. They loved people and loved to feed them. I guess it is genetic    

1 cup yellow corn meal 

1 cup flour 

2 tsp. baking powder 

3/4 cup sugar 

1 egg 

1 can of corn (creamed or whole)

1/4 cup milk  (may need more or less depending on humidity) 

1/2 medium onion grated 

1/t tsp. Louisiana hot sauce (optional) 

1/2 cup green onion tops chopped. (optional)

Mix corn meal, flour, baking powder, and sugar and make into a well. Add egg, corn, milk, onion and hot sauce. You may need more or less milk. The mix needs to be thicker than pancake batter but not as thick as cookie dough batter) Fry spoonfuls in hot oil - we always fry them before the fish so that they will stay clean.

Billy's Coleslaw for Fish

This coleslaw is so different from what you get at the supermarket and in restaurants. My dad always made this to eat with fried fish (bass, catfish, etc.) But, it is great with lots of things. 

1 medium head of cabbage grated small -- use your box grater with largest holes 

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1 tsp prepared horseradish 

1/2 medium onion grated 

1/2 cup sugar 

1 - 2 tbs. of milk to make creamy depending on how loose you like your slaw 

1/2 tsp. salt (less or more to taste) 

Grate cabbage. in a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, horseradish, onion, sugar, salt, and milk to make a creamy dressing. Mix in grated cabbage and chill for an hour. Serve with fish, red beans, fried chicken, or any other good southern dish

Pumpkin Bread

My mother made this during the fall and winter. We used our jack-o-lantern from Halloween which was always boiled, drained, mashed, and stored in two-cup tupperware in the freezer. Canned pumpkin will work well but your own boiled pumpkin makes it taste best. This is really a great recipe -- the bread is moist and spicy. Great with a tall glass of milk. 

3 cups sugar 

1 cup vegetable oil 

4 eggs 

2 cups pumpkin (canned or fresh) 

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 tsp. salt 

2 tsp. baking soda 

1 tsp. cloves 

1 tsp. cinnamon 

1 tsp. nutmeg 

2/3 cup water 

Mix all dry ingredients together; in a separate bowl, mix oil and sugar - add eggs/water and mix - add pumpkin and mix; add all dry ingredients and mix well. Bake in two loaf pans (regular sized) or four mini-loaf sized pans at 350 degrees until done -- about one hour for large loaves or 40 minutes for small loaves. Be sure to spray pans with non-stick spray.

Gingerbread Men

My brother and I used to make these with our elderly neighbor, Mrs. Rawls. She was like our grandmother. Of course, we didn't really make the dough, she did. But we helped cut them out and we also definitely helped with the eating. These are really soft, chewy and delicious. After Mrs. Rawls passed away, my mother always made these at Christmas. We have continued the tradition in our household and deliver them to  families we minister to and other friends each year. 

1/4 cup boiling water 

1/2 cup butter 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup molasses 

3 cups flour 

1 tsp. soda 

1 tsp. salt 

1/2 tsp. ginger 

1/2 tsp. nutmeg 

1/8 tsp cloves 

 In one bowl, sift dry ingredients (except sugar) together. In another bowl, pour boiling water over butter. Add sugar and molasses. Mix liquid well. Add dry ingredients to liquid and stir until combined in a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill. Cut with cookie cutter shapes. Bake 10 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Ice with a glaze made of hot water, 1 tsp. of butter melted, and powdered sugar. Decorate as you like.

Billy Abel's Seafood Gumbo

We make this in Louisiana alot, especially at Christmas when it is cold. I learned how to make this gumbo from my father, Billy, when I was a teenager. Yes, I liked to cook even then. It is not too difficult and it really is good. Serve over rice with some good crackers or crusty bread and you will need nothing else for a meal. This is the Billy Abel family recipe -- in Louisiana, almost everyone has their own way of making gumbo -- some people make it with chicken and sausage or turkey, others add oysters and crawfish, etc. While they are all usually good, I like ours the best.

2 lbs. shrimp tails with shells on (if your shrimp have heads attached, use 4 lbs.)
4 - 5 gumbo crabs
1 tin canned crab meat (lump, white, or claw)
1 large can of diced tomatoes
2 ribs of celery
1 medium onion
1 bell pepper (I leave this out for my family because they don't like peppers)
1 cup oil
1 1/2 - 2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 gallons water
1 lbs of chopped okra (frozen works well)
2 bay leaves
1 tbs. gumbo file' (optional if you are not able to get it - it is dried, ground sassafras leaves)
1 1/2 tbs. liquid crab boil
2 tbs. salt
(Note -- you can use 3 tbs. of powdered crab boil instead of salt and liquid crab boil)

In a 10 - 12 quart stock pot, put in water and crab boil/salt. Bring to a boil. Add defrosted shrimp and gumbo crabs - bring the water back to a boil. Turn water off as soon as it boils again. Cover pot and let shrimp and crabs sit for 5 minutes. Remove shrimp and crabs from the seafood stock you just made and let them cool -- do not discard the liquid from the boil -- this is the critical element in your gumbo! Bring the stock up to a simmering boil

While the shrimp/crab is cooking/cooling, rough chop onion, bell pepper, and celery. In a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron), saute' the onion, pepper, and celery in 1 tbs. of oil. When the veggies are soft, add to the stock pot of simmering liquid. Also, add the canned chopped tomatoes, the canned crab meat, and bay leaves. Do not clean the skillet -- you will use it later to make your roux.

Peel the shrimp as soon as you get the chance. Large tails can be cut into smaller pieces if you desire. Do not add to the stock until the last minute.

With the stock cooking away with the veggies, you will now make a roux to thicken the stock. Using the cast iron or other heavy skillet, put in one cup of oil and enough flour to make a thick paste (1 1/2 to 2 cups). Using a metal spatula, cook the roux until it is a dark color - about the color of a dark paper bag. Darkness of roux is an individual thing. You can make it darker for a stronger tasting gumbo. Do not let the roux burn or you will have to start over.

When the roux is almost as dark as you want it, it is time to add the okra to the stock. Finish the roux to the desired darkness. Then, spoonful by spoonful, add the hot roux to the hot stock. This will thicken the gumbo. Add as much as desired. If you don't use it all, you will have a thinner gumbo. This is how some people like it.

Finally, after the thickness is how you like it, add the shrimp and the gumbo crabs back to the pot. Sprinkle with the gumbo file' as you serve it over rice.

Crawfish (or Shrimp) Pasta

This is a really easy pasta dish that is sure to please. 

1 lb. crawfish tails (or shrimp, peeled and deveined) 

1 lb. Velveeta Cheese 

1 can Rotel tomatoes, diced 

1 can cream of chicken soup 

1 small onion 

3 cloves garlic 

2 tbs. butter 

1 lb. rotini pasta (I like the multi-colored pasta) cooked 

 Saute onion and garlic in butter until soft. Add crawfish tails (or shrimp) and cook for two minutes. Add tomatoes, soup, and cubed Velveeta. Stir until smooth and cheese is melted. Stir in pasta. Serve with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top with a crispy french bread and salad.