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Crispy Fried Blue Catfish with Sauce Gribiche, Herb Salad, and Pickled Chilis by Chef Jeremiah Langhorne

Difficulty
Challenge
Total Time
1H 15MIN
Cuisine

Crispy, golden-fried blue catfish meets a tangy, herbaceous sauce gribiche, bright pickled chilis, and a fresh herb salad in this elevated take on a Chesapeake classic.

How to make Crispy Fried Blue Catfish with Sauce Gribiche, Herb Salad, and Pickled Chilis

01.
Prepare the Catfish
  • Make the Brine: Heat 1 quart of water to a simmer, add salt, and whisk to dissolve. Add 1 quart of ice water and set aside.
  • Prepare the Dredge: In a medium bowl, mix the rice flour and cornmeal. Transfer to a shallow pan.
  • Set Up Breading Station: Pour buttermilk into a shallow pan and place next to the flour mixture. Set a third pan aside for the breaded catfish.
  • Heat the Oil: In a deep cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven, heat the canola oil to 350°F.
  • Bread the Catfish: Dip each catfish piece into the buttermilk, then coat in the cornmeal mixture, shaking off any excess.
  • Fry the Catfish: Fry for 3–6 minutes until cooked through and golden brown.
02.
Make the Sauce Gribiche
  • Cook the eggs for 8 minutes, chill in an ice bath, and peel
  • Slice the eggs lengthwise into eighths.
  • In a medium bowl, gently fold together the eggs, cornichons, caper berries, parsley, tarragon, and chervil.
  • Add olive oil, cornichon juice, lemon zest, coriander, and Dijon mustard, folding gently to maintain texture.
  • Season with kosher salt to taste.
03.
Pickle the Chilis
  • In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, bay leaves, garlic, thyme, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil.
  • Place sliced chilis and pearl onions in a heatproof bowl.
  • Pour the hot pickling liquid over the chilis and cover. Let cool completely.
04.
Prepare the Herb Salad
  • In a small bowl, combine the mint, dill, and cooled pickled chilis.
  • Toss with a small amount of the pickling liquid.
05.
To Serve
  • Spread a generous layer of sauce gribiche on the serving plate.
  • Arrange a layer of fried catfish pieces on top.
  • Add a layer of herb and chili salad, followed by another layer of catfish and another of the herb salad.

The Restaurant

Jeremiah Langhorne is the head chef of The Dabney in Washington, D.C. that's known for serving Mid-Atlantic cuisine, specializing in the invasive species of blue catfish. 

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