Fish & Seafood
VietCajun Fried Catfish Poboy
Description
This salty, sweet, spicy, and crisp sandwich features fried catfish with a fish sauce caramel and punchy tart pickles as a mash-up of Cajun and Vietnamese cuisines.
Ingredients
- Bơ (Vietnamese Mayonnaise) (makes about 1 cup)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons water, divided
- 1 cup canola oil
- Fish Sauce-Caramel Glaze (makes 3/4 cup)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water, divided
- 1/3 cup fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
- 1 lime, juiced (2 tablespoons)
- Banh Mi Pickles
- 1 (1-pound) daikon radish, cut into matchsticks (about 1 cup)
- 1 large carrot, cut into thin strips (1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Sticky Fried Catfish
- 1 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
- 1 cup fine plain yellow cornmeal
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3 to 4 large eggs, beaten
- 8 (5-ounce) catfish fillets (thinner pieces if possible)
- Vegetable oil
- Additional Ingredients
- 8 loaves bánh mi bread or light crusty French bread
- 1 cup Bơ (Vietnamese Mayonnaise)
- 4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (from 1 head)
- 3 to 4 medium tomatoes, sliced
- 2 cups Bánh Mi Pickles
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- Hot sauce (such as Crystal) (optional)
- Local Offers
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Directions
- Make the Bơ (Vietnamese Mayonnaise):
- Process egg yolk, garlic, fish sauce, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the water in a food processor until smooth, about 2 minutes. With processor running, slowly pour canola oil through food chute until mixture is blended and thick, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon water to thin out mayonnaise, if needed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Prepare the Fish Sauce-Caramel Glaze:
- Place sugar and 2 tablespoons of the water in a small saucepan. Cook, undisturbed, over medium-high until sugar mixture turns an amber color, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in fish sauce, red pepper, and remaining 3 1/3 tablespoons of the water. (Mixture will seize but that’s okay.) Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high, whisking or stirring to break up sugar. (To make sure it is a glaze consistency, dip a metal spoon into sauce; carefully run your finger on back of spoon to make a line in the sauce. If line holds on the spoon, your glaze is done. If line is runny, continue to boil for a few more minutes.) Remove from heat, and let cool, about 1 hour. Whisk in lime juice.
- Prepare the Bánh Mi Pickles:
- Place radish and carrot in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a boil over high, stirring until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Pour hot vinegar mixture over radish-carrot mixture, and let cool, about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prepare the Sticky Fried Catfish:
- Whisk together breadcrumbs, cornmeal, flour, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk together milk and eggs. Working in batches, dust catfish fillets with additional flour, and dredge in milk mixture, coating mixture evenly; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place dredged catfish on a plate or tray, and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Pour oil into a large Dutch oven to a depth of 2 inches; heat over medium-high to 360°F. Fry fish, in 3 batches, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to a paper towel-lined baking pan.
- Toast bread loaves, and cut each loaf in half lengthwise. Spread Bơ on both sides of bread loaves. Brush both sides of Sticky Fried Catfish with Fish Sauce-Caramel Glaze. Place catfish on prepared bread loaves. Top evenly with lettuce, tomatoes, Banh Mi Pickles, cilantro, and a couple of dashes of hot sauce (if using).
