Fried Catfish Nuggets
Move over chicken nuggets. Make room for these crispy, golden-brown fried catfish nuggets served with a tangy champagne mustard sauce for dipping.
Servings 4 people
Calories 200kcal
Ingredients
For the catfish nuggets
- 2 pounds U.S. Farm-Raised catfish fillets cut into small pieces
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- Oil for frying
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
For the champagne mustard sauce
- ½ cup white sugar
- ⅓ cup spicy brown mustard
- ⅓ cup champagne vinegar
- 2 egg yolks
Instructions
- In a shallow dish, combine the corn meal, salt, and oregano.
- In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the milk and egg.
- Dip the catfish nuggets into the egg mixture, then coat them in the cornmeal mixture.
- Fill a large skillet halfway full with the oil. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F over medium-high heat.
- Fry the nuggets, a few at a time, in the hot oil for about 3-4 minutes per side until the cornmeal crust is golden brown and the internal temperature of the fish reaches 145 degrees F.
- Remove the fried nuggets from the heat and drain on paper towels. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Keep warm.
- In a small saucepan mix together the sugar and the mustard.
- Add the vinegar and egg yolks. Stir to combine.
- Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes until the sauce is thickened. If the mustard seems a little clumpy, try stirring with a fork or a whisk.
- Remove the sauce from the heat. Serve warm or refrigerate until chilled. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. If chilled, let the sauce come to room temperature before serving.
Video
Notes
Two tablespoons of champagne mustard sauce will add 139 calories, 12 grams of fat and 7 grams of carbohydrates.
Storage. Transfer any left overs to an airtight container and refrigerate within two hours. Consume the fish within four days.
Freezing. Fried catfish can be frozen, though it may change the texture. I recommend laying the catfish out on a lined baking sheet and freezing on a flat surface. Once the fillets are frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer bag. Consume within three months. Thaw the fish in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating. If you want to keep that crispy crust, I don't recommend reheating the nuggets in the microwave. Instead use the oven or an air fryer. Bake the fish at 350 degrees in the oven for 10 minutes until heated through or at the same temperature in an air fryer for five minutes. Spraying the tops of the fish with a little cooking spray before reheating will also help the crust crisp up again.
Nutrition
Serving: 4nuggets | Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.9g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 244mg | Potassium: 295mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1.2mg
