•  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

File in: Fish, Entree

Paul Lukens's

Catfish with Pineapple Curry Sauce

Serves 6

  • 5 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 medium onions (medium dice)
  • 6 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 tbsp. red curry paste
  • 3 cups pineapple juice
  • 1 14 oz. can coconut milk (well shaken)
  • 1 lb. honey-roasted peanuts
  • 4 tbsp. hot sauce
  • 4 tbsp. flour
  • 6 fillets catfish
  • Additional flour, as needed (for dredging the filets)

The sauce:

Heat 3 tbsp of the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is slightly golden. Add the curry paste and mix thoroughly.

Add the pineapple juice and coconut milk and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, add the 4 tbsp of flour one tbsp at a time to 4 tbsp water, whisking vigorously as you go. This should form a thin paste. Add the paste to the saucepan and whisk in. Continue to cook at a rolling boil for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The garnish:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Mix the hot sauce and peanuts in a mixing bowl. Lightly oil the baking sheet. Spread the peanuts out evenly on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until the peanuts no longer appear wet.

The fish:

Heat the remaining oil in a cast iron skillet. Dredge the fillets in flour, then fry on both sides until golden, about 5-7 minutes per side.

Assembly:

Douse each fillet in a ladle's worth of sauce, then sprinkle with a handful of the peanuts. Works very nicely with the fillets over a bed of rice.