Cajun Pecan-Crusted Catfish
Crunchy, battered catfish fillets have jumped out of the Louisiana backwaters to become a national favorite, thanks in large part to the Cajun cooking craze that started in the '80s. Here, the fillets are coated in a spicy melange of cornflakes and pecans and baked for a traditional yet surprisingly healthy take on this bayou favorite.
From EatingWell: February/March 2005, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006)
Yield: 4 servings
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk
- 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco, or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 cups cornflakes
- 1/2 cup pecan pieces
- 1 pound catfish fillets, about 1 inch thick, cut into 4 portions
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Blend buttermilk, hot sauce (or cayenne), oregano, chili powder and garlic salt in a shallow dish. Pulse cornflakes in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Transfer to a large plate. Pulse pecans in the food processor until coarsely chopped; mix the pecans with the cornflake crumbs. (Alternatively, place cornflakes in a sealable bag and crush with a rolling pin; chop nuts with a knife.)
- Dip each catfish fillet in the buttermilk mixture, then dredge in the cornflake mixture, coating both sides. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the catfish for 25 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Per serving:
302 calories; 17 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 63 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrates; 21 g protein; 3 g fiber; 240 mg sodium; 438 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (21% daily value).
Exchanges: 1 starch, 3 lean meat, 1 fat