I always tell Josh that when he’s gone (because we took an internet test once and it says I will outlive him by about 10 years after we’re 70, and you know that’s got to be true) that I am going to move down to Mississippi, get a nice Muumuu (ok, who else is excited by all those letter multiples a muumuu in Mississippi?!!! yesssss), drink mint juleps and open up a Fish Fry.

As a kid, catfish was the fish fry fish in my house (yes, we had sauteed whole trout a lot – brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout – our area was such a great trout habitat eventually Orvis bought half the county for trout farming), but for a good fry – catfish was king. With corn on the cob, potato salad, three-bean salad (does anyone even eat yellow wax beans anymore?), pickles, and someone – there’s always someone – who will bring some jell-o monstrosity (or an old lady sweet salad like Waldorf, Ambrosia, or some strange combination of the three like my Aunt Mayme). Visiting was a thing – there was no specific organization to it, it just sort of happened – but sometimes our house, sometimes Grandpa’s, sometimes the summer people at camp, other family, other friends…on early mornings in the weekend the men would go fishing, come back with lots of catfish.

This is my go-to fish fry recipe, though up here in Maine I tend to use a lot more cod and haddock, but sometimes I’m able to get some catfish…mmmm, catfish.

Fish Fry

Serves 4 with Summer sides

1.5 – 2lbs. firm fleshed fish, skinned and fileted, cut into 2x4ish” chunks
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
2 cups medium to fine NGMO Cornmeal (not too coarse)
2 tsp Sea Salt
2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Chili or Cayenne Powder (depending on how spicy you want it)
1 tsp ground Black Pepper
2 cups Buttermilk or Whey (or even just Milk with a Tbsp yogurt mixed in)
Oil for frying, = about 1″ in wide frying pan (cast iron skillet is best)

Heat oil in skillet over Med-High heat (you’ll want the oil to come up about halfway on the fish). Soak cut filets in Buttermilk/Whey/Milk mixture for about 20 min – meanwhile mix dry ingredients together in a wide shallow bowl (or a 9×9 baking dish works well, too, or pie plate). To test oil readiness, dip finger in mix mixture – then dry mixture, drop bit of batter into oil – if it sizzles and rises to top after 1 min, you are ready for frying (if it browns quickly, turn stovetop down to Med, remove pan from heat for a minute or two, try again).

When oil is ready, lay ‘milked’ filets into dry ingredients, cover and press a bit of batter on all sides (you might have to line up a few to make this next bit easier), dip again into milky mixture and re-batter with dry ingredients (it might look like all your first battering goes into the milk but trust me, it doesn’t). Gently put battered fish into frying oil, giving each filet a minute to cook before adding next (keep temperature even). By the time you are done adding filets, it should probably be time to flip the first filet – depending on thickness of filet, should only take 3-5 min. Continue batches as necessary (I generally get 2 batches, cooking 5-6 filets in pan at once).

Serve with tartar sauce (we chop Bread&Butter pickles into Mayo), or spicy Mayo, or Garlic Aioli if you are feeling decadent. These days I prefer German or vinegar based/red Potato Salad with fresh peas and fresh herbs or last week’s Lemon Kale Salad.

Happy Summer Eating!

I joined a book club a few years ago. I knew better but I dream about compatriots that share the same sort of ideas I do and want to get together and talk about them. I was uncertain about this group – though they were all very nice and funny and smart, we were just very different. They had a way about them that I will never have, I can’t really articulate what way that is, I just know I don’t and won’t have it. Their ideas came from Atlantic Monthly and likely The New Yorker, mine come from anywhere and everywhere – the weirder the better. I stayed for about 4.5 books and then we parted ways. But up until our realization that we were not a good match, we drank some wine, ate some foodstuffs, and vaguely talked about the books we read.

I didn’t get any really good new authors out of our brief relation but I did get this salad. It’s so good. It’s crazy good. My child loves it, I love it – everyone who has tried it, loves it. It’s addictive – there is something about the massaging/salting/garlic & lemon process that makes it impossible to stop eating. In fact, if I ate this salad as often as I want to, I’d probably fit in an airplane seat better (not that I’m going on an airplane any time soon). It’s smashing – and holds up really well, even until the next day.

Lemon Kale Salad

Serves 4-6 as a side, unless you can’t stop eating it yourself

2 bunches Curly or Red Russian Kale (stems removed, ripped into bite-size pieces, rinsed)
a shake or two of Coarse Sea Salt
drizzle or two of Olive Oil
1 Tbsp minced Garlic (or more to taste)
2-4 Tbsp Lemon Juice (or 2 Lemons, to taste)
1 little tub (8oz) of Ciliegine Mozzarella Balls (halved, saving a little juice from tub)
2 cups (or 8oz) of Cherry Tomatoes (halved)

Optional (to make it extra sexy, though it doesn’t need it):
1 cup Kalamata Olives (pitted and halved)
1/4 cup toasted, sliced Almonds

The secret is really in the process: massage your rinsed/ripped leaves with a shake of Coarse Sea Salt and a drizzle of Olive Oil until you feel the leaves start to break down a bit (sometimes a little liquid is in the bottom of the bowl when you are done) – you don’t want them mushy but you want to feel them give (about 5 minutes of good rubbing).

Add all the other ingredients, stir, and taste for seasoning – feel free to add more lemon, garlic, salt to the bowl as necessary.

I think we’re going to put some Salmon steaks on the grill and eat this tonight! Enjoy!