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BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The Blue Channel catfish of Louisiana is not only a favorite of the Cajuns and Creoles, but it is also revered as the best fish in the South. Catfish can be deep-fried in fillets or whole with its skin and head on. In this recipe, the catfish is served po’boy-style on French bread and topped with coleslaw.

Prep Time: 3 Hours

Yields: 6 Servings

Ingredients for Slaw:

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 small onion, peeled and grated

1 carrot, peeled and grated

1 tbsp minced parsley

¼ cup vegetable oil

3 tbsps cider vinegar

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp sugar

¼ tsp dry mustard

⅛ tsp granulated garlic

½ tsp celery seeds

Cayenne pepper to taste

Method for Slaw:

In a large salad bowl, toss cabbage, onion, carrot and parsley until well mixed. In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, mayonnaise, sugar and seasonings, stirring to mix well. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss gently. Refrigerate 2 hours while frying catfish.

Ingredients for Catfish:

6 (6–8 ounce) catfish fillets

Oil for deep-frying

1 cup milk

1 egg

½ cup water

3 tbsps Creole mustard

Juice of 1 lemon

Louisiana hot sauce to taste

Seasoned corn flour

6 (6-inch) po’boy loaves

1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

Method for Catfish:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Submerge fish in a bowl of ice water 30 minutes prior to frying. This process will help to firm fish and keep it moist during cooking. In a large Dutch oven or home-style deep-fryer such as a FryDaddy®, place enough oil to cover fish by 1–2 inches. Heat oil to 365°F. In a mixing bowl, whisk together milk, egg, water, mustard, lemon juice and hot sauce. Remove fish from ice water and place in Creole mustard batter then in corn flour. Fry until golden brown and beginning to float to surface. Do not overcook. Fish are best when crisp on outside but tender and juicy inside. Remove and drain on paper towels. Slice po’boy loaves in half lengthwise and place on a cookie sheet. Toast lightly in oven. When bread is lightly browned, place 1 catfish fillet on ½ of toasted loaf. Top with red onion slices and a generous portion of coleslaw. Cover with remaining half of po’boy loaf and press firmly.

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