Mississippi-Style Catfish Strips with Spicy Tartar Sauce - catfish fillets

Method

• Slice the catfish into strips 3/4 inch wide by 5 to 6 inches long.
• Toss in a bowl along with the buttermilk, egg, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the Creole Seasoning.
• Cover and refrigerate for several hours.
• Whip up the tartar sauce by stirring together the mayonnaise, pickles, lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire, onions, salt, dill, lemon pepper, and Tabasco in a bowl.
• Cover and refrigerate til ready to use.
• Set up your dredging and frying station.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Fill a bowl with a mix of cornmeal, 2 tablespoons of Creole Seasoning, and flour.
• Pour the oil into a skillet.
• Slide the oil-filled skillet onto a front burner and get it heating over medium heat til hot but not smoking.
• Next to the stove, line up the cookie sheet, the cornmeal mixture, and the bowl of marinating catfish.
• Pluck the catfish from the marinade, drop it in the cornmeal mix, and roll it around in the mixture til coated.
• Then move the coated strips to the parchment-lined pan.
• Once all the catfish strips are breaded, fry them in the hot oil in batches without crowding the pan.
• Cook, flipping once, for a total of 4 to 5 minutes, til nicely browned.
• Drain on paper towels.
• You might have to cook the fish in 2 or more batches; if you do, keep the fried fish warm in a 140 oven while you finish cooking.
• Have a plate ready, and, as soon as all the pieces are fried, serve with lots of tartar sauce.