I’m not a big seafood person. Beyond fried catfish, I have never even given seafood a fighting chance. We never had it in our home and I’ve never ordered it at a restaurant. The reasoning for this is really a simple one: Other than catfish, my mother was not a seafood person.
When your mama don’t like it, don’t nobody get it!
My mother’s grandfather was a very superstitious man and back in the day there was an old wives’ tale that it wasn’t safe to eat fish unless you drank buttermilk with it because if you accidentally swallowed a bone, they believed the buttermilk would dissolve it. Of course we know this isn’t true but my mother says her disliking of buttermilk kept fish out of her diet until her grandfather finally said he thought it would be okay if the kids drank “sweet milk” with their fish. Sweet milk is the old fashioned term for whole milk. If you ever want to know why they called whole milk sweet, just drink a glass of buttermilk and you’ll have your answer!
A lot of people outside and inside of the South tend to blanket all southern cooking styles into one category but Southern food really has a lot of variances and relies heavily on what is available in each region. Our ancestors ate what was convenient, just like everyone else. Seeing as how my people can down from the Carolinas to be among the first settlers in the Tennessee Valley, it makes sense that we wouldn’t cook in the same style as a coastal Southerner.
Growing up, all of the catfish we ate was pond raised on my Papa Reed’s farm. He went once a year and got “fingerlings” (baby catfish) to stock his pond with. He’d feed them regularly throughout the year until they got big enough to be table worthy. Then, he’d drain the pond until the water was about waist deep and some of the men in the family would get in and stretch a net across and walk the length of the pond to catch the fish. Each family could get what they wanted and the rest were sold to restaurants and such by the pound.
Most of my personal memories of eating catfish are at the family table, sitting beside my brother and sister and giggling when someone’s lemon “misfired” and shot juice on someone else. Catfish is a “clean” tasting fish. It doesn’t really taste or smell at all like some seafood does (a plus if you aren’t a seafood person!). Simple and inexpensive to prepare, this is a quick and easy main course and I promise not to make you drink buttermilk with it!
Fried Catfish
Catfish Fillets (I made 4 for this recipe)
1 Cup corn meal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Directions
1. In large skillet, heat 1/2 inch of oil over medium high heat. Place corn meal in medium bowl. Add salt and pepper, stir.
2. Dip each fillet into the breading on both sides to coat. Turn stove eye down to medium.
3. Place each fillet in oil and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides.
4. Remove to drain on paper towel lined plate. Serve with lemon wedges, vinegar, or tartar sauce.
Originally published on SouthernPlate
Originally published on SouthernPlate
