Catfish are a family of marine ray-finned fish from the order Perciformes, a valuable commercial object (we distinguish them from the fish of the same name from the family of salmon and moray eels). This fish is quite large, the catfish meat is tender, very fatty and slightly sweet, and there are minimal bones in the body. The nutritional value of this species is very high: its meat contains many useful substances, vitamins, microelements and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

What can you cook with catfish?

It is best to steam or grill such fish (for a very short time); of course, it can be boiled, stewed with vegetables, pickled, salted, dried and smoked (by the way, a wonderful snack for beer). You can also cook or. We can definitely say that it makes sense to fry catfish only in batter, otherwise the fish will “spread” over the pan, melting into fat. In general, it is better not to subject it to long-term heat treatment.

Catfish meat can be used as a filling for baked goods. The catfish pie will be very filling - this dish is great for cold days.

Catfish Pie - Recipe

Ingredients:

• catfish fillet – 500 g;
• ready-made dough – 500 g (you can use yeast, yeast-free, puff pastry);
• boiled long grain fluffy rice – 200 g;
• onion – 1 pc.;
• lemon juice - to taste;
• garlic – 3 cloves;
• vegetable oil – 3-5 tbsp. spoon;
• ground black pepper - to taste;
• chopped parsley and other aromatic herbs - 2-4 tablespoons;
• dry spices - to taste;
• salt - to taste.

Preparation

While the rice is boiling, cut the catfish meat into small pieces, add some salt and marinate in lemon juice with crushed garlic, ground pepper and dry spices for at least 30 minutes to slightly refine the smell and taste. After the specified time has passed, place the marinated fish pieces in a colander to remove any remaining marinade. Divide the dough into two parts. Roll out the layer from the first part (not too thin) and place it on a greased baking sheet or in a mold (with not too high sides). Place a thin layer of rice on top and smooth it out. On top of the rice are pieces of catfish, which we sprinkle evenly with chopped herbs and again add a thin layer of rice on top. Pour vegetable oil over everything evenly. Cover with the second layer of dough and join the edges. Let the cake rest for 20 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to approximately 200º C. Pierce the pie in several places. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. The fat from the catfish and the aromas of the greens will permeate the rice - it will be very tasty. You can, of course, make an open pie, then on top we make a “lattice” of thin strips of dough, which we connect to the edges of the lower layer.

How to pickle catfish?

Ingredients:

• catfish – 3 kg;
• salt – 5-6 tbsp. spoon;
• mixture of spices - to taste.

Preparation

An approximate calculation for salting fatty fish, including catfish, is as follows: for 1 kg of fish - 1-2 tablespoons of salt. If we salt using the “dry” method, the salt must be coarse. If we salt using the “wet” method - in brine - dilute the salt so that the raw egg floats.

Can be added to 2 tbsp. spoons of salt 1 teaspoon of sugar, which will give the fish a more delicate taste.

When salting catfish, it makes sense to actively use spices: bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, anise seeds, cumin, fennel, coriander and other spicy aromatic plants. The use of spices enhances the taste of this fish. When marinating, you can use fresh aromatic herbs.

If we salt catfish in large pieces using the “dry” method, then wrap the salted fish in clean paper or linen cloth, and then leave it in the freezer for a day. Lightly defrost for another 2 hours on the refrigerator shelf.

How to salt catfish quickly?

Ingredients:

Preparation

To cook catfish quickly, cut the fillet into small pieces, add some salt, place in a tight container and add lime or lemon juice, hot pepper and garlic, or onion. Mix. After 15 minutes the fish is ready.

Catfish is a sea fish belonging to the perciform family. Its tender, very fatty meat differs from the meat of any other fish in its translucent watery consistency, has a slightly sweetish taste, and there are practically no bones in its steaks. Unfortunately, few people have this glorious fish in their diet - due to its supposedly “complicated” preparation. And completely in vain. You need to know how to cook catfish, use some tricks, and this fish, unsurpassed in taste, will become one of your culinary preferences.

Indeed, if, without knowing how to cook catfish, you try to fry it in a frying pan in the most ordinary way, it will most likely simply “spread.” Undoubtedly, this fish is best suited for baking in the oven, but experienced chefs are not limited to one single recipe, and real culinary masterpieces come out of their hands. Catfish is grilled, steamed, fried in batter, making amazing pilaf, pie, cutlets, roast, soup and many other different dishes for every taste and preference. Below are some recipes and tips on how to cook catfish.

Risotto “Catfish with pomegranate”

Ingredients:

• catfish fillet (peeled);
• one pomegranate (ripe);
• rice - 350 g;
• broth (vegetable) - one liter;
• one small onion;
• butter - 50 g;
• dry champagne;
• pepper;
• salt;
• dill.

Preparation:

1. Before preparing catfish according to this recipe, first carefully separate the pomegranate, put half of the grains in a blender, and filter the juice.
2. Finely chop the onion and place it in a saucepan in which 30 g of butter is melted and simmer.
3. Cut half of the prepared catfish fillet into medium-sized pieces and add to the pan along with the rice. Keep on fire for about a minute, stirring.
4. Just a little champagne is poured in. Allow the liquid to evaporate over high heat.
5. Pour in the broth (a couple of ladles). Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and leave until the rice is completely cooked, adding a little broth as needed.
6. Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan, add the other half of the fillet, salt, season with pepper and add champagne (a little). Leave for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat and add the remaining pomegranate seeds, reserving a little for decoration.
7. To the finished dish add a little chopped dill, catfish from the frying pan, and stir gently. The risotto is laid out on portioned plates and garnished with pomegranate and dill.

How to cook catfish in the oven?

Ingredients:

• catfish (fillet) - 2.5 kg;
• hard cheese - 0.3 kg;
• mayonnaise - 0.5 l;
• three onions.

Preparation:

1. The fish is defrosted, washed and dried with a regular paper towel.
2. Cut the catfish into large portions.
3. Grate the cheese, mix it with mayonnaise and pre-chopped onions.
4. Place the chopped pieces of fish into the prepared mixture, mix gently and leave for 20 minutes for the fillets to marinate.
5. Then the fish is placed in a special baking dish and sent to an oven preheated to 190ºC and baked until fully cooked.

Catfish pie

Before you cook catfish, or rather a pie with this fish, stock up on the following ingredients:

• catfish (fillet) - half a kilogram;
• dough (yeast-free) - half a kilogram;
• 2-3 potato tubers;
• oil (vegetable) - 3 tbsp. l.;
• one onion;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Cooking tips:

1. The dough is divided into two equal parts. Grease the mold with vegetable oil and lay out one part of the dough, then a thin layer of chopped raw potatoes.
2. Season with pepper and salt.
3. Place pieces of catfish sprinkled with pepper and salt, and finely chopped onion on top.
4. Drizzle lightly with oil and cover with remaining rolled out dough.
5. Pinch the edges of the pie and leave for 20 minutes in a warm place.
6. Next, place in an oven heated to 200ºC until completely cooked, after making punctures on top with a fork. Served to the table.

Bon appetit!

Sandwich with home-salted catfish

I recently bought catfish steaks and was wondering what I should do with them? After a test preparation of fried catfish (dipped in flour), it turned out that it was very tasty - only a thin strip of fried skin with a layer of tender fat. But the pulp after heat treatment is very watery and uninteresting.

And I realized that such fish would be good in dough (thick, preferably viscous yeast dough, like for donuts). Once in Cyprus I tried this dish - a piece of fish in dough resembled a fried pie with a very juicy filling. This means it will be delicious with catfish.

But I didn’t plan to fry pies and fish in dough, and 2 steaks were still thawing and needed ideas. And then I remembered how tasty salted butterfish can be (I think even those who haven’t tried it can guess its properties by the name). And I decided to make lightly salted catfish. Why, a sandwich with such fish is a real delicacy!

What you need for pickling

for 4 servings

• Catfish steaks - 2 pieces;
• Salt - 2-3 tablespoons;
• Sugar - 1 tablespoon;
• Spices (optional) - a pinch of freshly ground black pepper, 2-3 buds of cloves (broken).

How to pickle

• Thaw the catfish steaks (you can not completely defrost them, leaving them a little hard).
• Mix salt and sugar. Sprinkle it over both sides of the steaks. Place the fish on a clean linen cloth. Sprinkle with pepper and cloves. Wrap the fish in a cloth.
• Place the fish in a cool place (I put it in the refrigerator) for salting. The fish will be ready in a day, but if it sits for 2 days, it will become even tastier.
• Remove the finished fish from the cloth, cut off the rim of the skin (it is inconvenient to eat, you can either eat it separately or throw it with the potatoes at the end of frying, the skin will turn out crispy). Cut the catfish fillet from the bone. Next, either make sandwiches with this fillet (for 1 sandwich there is half a lightly salted steak), or you can cut the fish into several pieces and serve with fried potatoes or mashed potatoes. It will be very tasty!

Bon appetit!

Catfish is a treacherous fish. It is tasty and healthy, but it is not always possible for everyone to prepare it in the usual way: sometimes only an incomprehensible something remains in the frying pan, which two minutes ago was a fish, so many housewives go to various lengths to preserve the shape of the catfish - throw it into boiling water, fry in flour in hot oil and so on. But in fact, all this is not necessary, there are only two rules that are worth remembering. First, when buying catfish, try to choose fish with a spotted, rather than blue, skin—their meat is denser. Second, follow this recipe: the catfish turns out amazing, although you can cook any white fish the same way if you want.

World's best catfish

Read on topic:

Cut the fillet into portions - for this you can take a ready-made fillet, or you can buy a thick catfish steak and cut it at home, removing the bones and skin. Combine water and sugar, stir until completely dissolved, dip the catfish fillet in the brine and leave it there for half an hour. This technique allows you to get a juicier fish, and in the case of catfish, it also makes its meat more dense. After removing the catfish from the brine, rinse it under running water to remove the salt from the surface of the fish, and pat dry with paper towels.

Read on topic:

Pack the catfish with a pat of butter in a vacuum or Ziploc bag. You can additionally season the fish with lemon zest and thyme, or you can leave it as is to preserve the original taste of the catfish. Cook the catfish sous vide at 50 degrees for 1 hour, then remove the fish from the bag and pat dry again. Place a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, melt a knob of butter in it and fry the fish until crusty, then serve with freshly ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Catfish is a very tasty fish, which is not cooked only because they do not know how to cook it correctly. If you do not follow simple preparatory steps, this delicious dish will turn into porridge.

To prevent this, you need to remember the main thing: catfish cannot be cooked just like that. It should be fried in batter, flour, breadcrumbs, baked in mayonnaise or some kind of sauce. To fix the shape, you need to cook it half-thawed and fry it completely thawed. The fish turns out to be very nutritious and healthy, so even the most picky eaters will like the right dish.

Catfish meat - beneficial properties

The taste of catfish is very tender and slightly sweet, reminiscent of sea bass. At the same time, its beneficial properties are very extensive. It is a dietary product, since its calorie content is approximately 115 kcal per 100 grams of product. This figure increases depending on the cooking method.

Catfish contains beneficial acids that remove unnecessary cholesterol from the body. This contributes to the rapid restoration of blood vessels and the prevention of further diseases associated with the cardiovascular system.

In general, catfish is highly recommended for people with such diseases. It also contains magnesium and vitamin PP, which are responsible for strengthening the heart muscle, dilating blood vessels, improving blood circulation and oxygen supply throughout the body. And due to its high protein content, fish is recommended for consumption by athletes.

If we talk about the water-salt balance, then catfish normalizes it due to the chlorine it contains. Sulfur in fish improves metabolic processes, and potassium reduces swelling in the body and restores blood pressure. Phosphorus and potassium strengthen bone tissue.

What's the best way to cook fish?

Catfish meat is suitable for both lovers of fish dishes and for the little ones. The fish has almost no bones. Cooks have access to many recipes using this meat. Why do so many people complain so much about the fish “porridge” that turns out instead of a juicy steak? The whole problem is in the method of preparation. Catfish is very loose and needs to be properly processed before cooking.

For stewing or frying, use batter or boil the fish in pre-salted water. This way it will remain intact and will not lose its beneficial properties.

Do not lose sight of the fact that any oil increases the fat content of the product. Therefore, frying catfish is suitable for those who do not monitor the number of calories in the dish. To ensure that the fish turns out tasty and not saturated with dripping oil, it must be placed in a well-heated frying pan.

The most delicious catfish is considered to be cooked on the grill, steamed and in the oven, although it is often consumed smoked. For children and those on a diet, steamed cutlets and soup are recommended. Fish lovers will appreciate catfish steak, as well as catfish baked in foil. All cereals and vegetables are suitable as a side dish, but most of all – sweet peppers and potatoes.

Fried and steamed cutlets

Making catfish cutlets is easy and simple, and most importantly, delicious. For this you will need:

• fish meat 0.5 kg;
• one onion;
• two tablespoons of semolina (40-50 g);
• half a cup of milk;
• one egg;
• a little sunflower oil;
• breadcrumbs;
• dill for lovers and spices at your discretion.

Preparation:

1. Place catfish fillet and dill (optional), finely grated onion and egg into a blender. Instead of semolina, you can use bread; different recipes yield different ingredients. You also need to add milk, salt and pepper;
2. Mix and beat it all until you get one mass. To prevent excess liquid from spreading over the pan (or in a double boiler, if the cutlets will be steamed), you need to leave the mixture for 40 minutes. Semolina will absorb everything unnecessary;
3. After this, cutlets of the desired shape are formed from the resulting minced meat. These can be hearts, smiles, and the most ordinary “round pieces”.
4. Roll the finished molds in breadcrumbs;
5. In a frying pan, the catfish is fried on both sides until golden brown.

Ready! Delicious catfish cutlets can be served. For a side dish, you can choose vegetable stew, fried potatoes, or serve simply with sour cream.

Catfish steak recipe

Catfish steak is a very fancy dish. If you forget one or the other nuance, you can end up with collapsed lumps of fish meat. To get started, you will need simple ingredients:

• salt;
• flour;
• oil;
• catfish steaks.

Preparation:

1. Heavily frozen fish is not an option. It needs to be given time to thaw by about ¾, then salt generously and marinate. Within half an hour you can forget about the fish;
2. The next item is flour. Once the catfish is marinated, it should be well coated in flour. A little secret: to prevent it from burning, you need to lightly chop the fish before placing it in the pan. This way the remaining flour will not curl into lumps;
3. Heat the pan as hot as possible;
4. Pour oil into a hot frying pan and wait until it warms up;
5. You need to fry until a golden crust appears. Do not cover with a lid! This will only make things worse. After frying, set the pan aside for a couple of minutes. The fish will reach the desired state and lose any remaining looseness.

Steamed catfish with vegetables

Catfish is a very healthy fish and low in calories if cooked correctly. A good option is steamed, and vegetables for a side dish. What you will need as ingredients:

• any vegetables of your choice.

Preparation:

1. Thaw the fish completely, add salt and leave for half an hour;
2. After the time has passed, the catfish should be rinsed with water and dried;
3. The fish is placed on the top grill, and the selected vegetables are placed below;
4. You can leave the steamer on for 20-25 minutes before cooking the catfish.

In the meantime, the fish is turning into a delicious dish, you can prepare a white sauce. Ingredients for the sauce:

• flour;
• low-fat cream;
• salt;
• pepper and spices;
• Bay leaf.

Preparation:

1. The flour is fried in oil, and then all the ingredients are added;
2. Stir until the liquid thickens slightly;
3. If it doesn't thicken at all, you can add flour. If it's the other way around, add cream. Important note: this sauce becomes thick over time, so it is ideal to prepare it right before serving. On average it takes 5-7 minutes to cook.

After cooking, let the catfish sit for 2-3 minutes and carefully place it on a plate. You can pour the prepared sauce on top, add a sprig of parsley for decoration and serve.

Delicious fish pilaf

Pilaf is known for its satiety and taste. But no one limited the choice of meat. Instead of the usual lamb, you can use catfish fillet, and do everything possible to ensure that its juice is completely absorbed into the rice.

So, what you will need:

• catfish 1 kg;
• rice 1 cup;
• one or two onions;
• the same amount of carrots;
• spices to taste and vegetable meat.

Preparation:

1. There is no need to defrost the fillet completely. It should thaw slightly, but not be soft;
2. After defrosting, wash the meat and cut into cubes 2 centimeters thick;
3. Rinse the rice and place in a colander to drain;
4. Cut the onion into rings;
5. Grate the carrots;
6. Fry onions and carrots together. Important: first the onion is sautéed for a couple of minutes, after which the carrots are added to it;
7. Once the vegetables are ready, add the washed rice. This is done so that it is crumbly;
8. After a couple of minutes, you can transfer the mass to the desired saucepan or continue cooking in a frying pan if its volume allows. Add 1.5 cups of water;
9. There is no need to add more water: the catfish is saturated with juice. If you add more liquid, you will get not an appetizing pilaf, but a slurry;
10. You only need to stir the contents of the pan once after adding water. This will keep the shape;
11. After stirring, you can add catfish and spices;
12. The lid can be closed and the heat reduced;
13. Further preparation depends on the type of rice, but the mass should simmer for approximately 20 minutes;
14. Upon completion of cooking, the pilaf is mixed and served.

If you bake in foil in the oven

For those who like to bake in the oven, catfish can also be tasty. The main thing to remember is that you need to prepare the meat so that it retains its shape and taste. To prepare you will need:

• fillet 0.5-0.6 kg;
• two onions;
• mayonnaise;
• lemon juice (a tablespoon per eye);
• breadcrumbs.

Preparation:

1. Wash and dry the fillet, salt and pepper, sprinkle with lemon juice and leave for half an hour.
2. Prepare the baking dish. Place onion rings (half) on the bottom of the foil, and marinated catfish on top;
3. Use the other half of the onion to “cover” the top side of the fish;
4. On top everything is coated with mayonnaise (you can use sour cream) and sprinkled with breadcrumbs;
5. Do not cover the top with foil; it serves to preserve the juice;
6. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, bake for up to half an hour (depending on the oven);

The most appetizing and rich soup

To prepare fish soup you will need not only catfish, but also white fish for the broth. But the rest of the dish is satisfying thanks to the catfish. By ingredients:

Preparation:

1. Separate the skin and bones from the fish.
2. Add celery, bay leaf, pepper, fish to the pan and cover it all with cold water.
3. The first foam is drained, then cook for at least half an hour.
4. Cut the onion in half, peel the carrots or wash them thoroughly, then fry them on both sides in a dry frying pan. It should burn slightly.
5. When the broth is ready, add the “fried” vegetables to it.
6. After boiling, strain, remove everything that was previously - it will no longer be needed.
7. A nuance: to make the broth transparent, you need to pour a beaten egg into it, stir and remove with a slotted spoon.
8. Place the broth on the fire, throw small potatoes inside.
9. Soak the saffron in alcohol or vodka, then squeeze, remove, and add the same amount of water to the liquid. You should get no more than 50-60 ml. Pour all this into the broth.
10. Fry another onion and leek, then add the whole mass to the broth (about 10 minutes after adding the potatoes).
11. Chop the remaining fish fillets and add to the broth.
12. Cut the cod liver into large pieces and add it after 10 minutes. You can sprinkle with dill.
13. You can salt, pepper and add spices, for decoration - lemon.

Amazing catfish in creamy sauce

Banal recipes can get boring even with such tasty fish as catfish. In this case, you can resort to the original - bake the fish in a creamy sauce. It doesn’t sound original, but the taste will be delicate and very unusual. What you will need:

• 0.5 kg catfish;
• 800ml cream;
• liter of fish broth;
• salt and pepper to taste;
• nori seaweed;
• sunflower oil.

Preparation:

1. The catfish is cut into pieces and soaked in cold water (2-3 tablespoons of salt per liter of water).
2. You will need a deep frying pan. Pour cream into it.
3. Reduce by half and add fish broth, throw in seaweed.
4. The sauce is almost ready, all you have to do is beat it with a blender.
5. Remove the catfish from the marinade, then fry over high heat until half-baked.
6. Place catfish and half of the sauce in a baking dish. You can place onions on the bottom of the mold.
7. After 10-15 minutes the dish is ready. Pour over the remaining sauce and serve.

Catfish in batter with golden crust

If you fry catfish without preparation, it will become like porridge, and also very fatty.

There are several secrets to forming neat pieces and removing excess fat. What ingredients will you need:

• 0.5 kg catfish;
• half a lemon;
• red pepper;
• salt to taste;
• oil for frying.

For the batter you need:

• flour;
• egg;
• vodka (50 grams is enough);
• half a glass of water.

Preparation:

1. Clean the fish: separate the meat from the bones, cut into small pieces.
2. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
3. Now the batter: separate the white from the yolk and beat the white.
4. Mix the yolk, flour, vodka and water, add salt and a spoonful of sunflower oil.
5. Carefully fold the whipped egg white mixture into the batter mixture. Stir from the edge to the center so that the air bubbles in the protein burst as little as possible.
6. Dip the catfish into the prepared batter and place in a heated frying pan with oil.
7. Fry each piece on both sides.
8. Place on a napkin to drain excess fat.

Ready! Bon appetit!

We present to your attention a simple video recipe for fried catfish in breadcrumbs:

In conclusion, it must be said that there are countless variations in the preparation of catfish, but each of them is based on basic recipes. Cooking in the oven, fish soup fried in batter, steak, cutlets and pilaf. These recipes are standard, but can be supplemented with different spices or cooking methods.

Everywhere a standard marinade is used: salt, pepper (in some versions, add lemon juice) and leave for half an hour. These are mandatory procedures for preparing tasty and healthy catfish. For a side dish, it is best to use vegetables in such a way as to avoid fat content as much as possible - the fish itself is very filling and the side dish may seem unnecessary.