The Food That He Likes

Gr. Don is still recovering from heart surgery, so we try to visit him on Wednesdays. He requested my "Catfish Nuggets" this week! I knew he liked fried catfish, so I had printed off this recipe from an Emeril Lagasse FoodTV episode (many years ago when we had cable) for one of his supper visits. It is a family favorite at our house, too. Tonight I made them with brown rice and fried zucchini slices. I hoped the healthy brown rice and farmer's market vegetable would make up for the fact I was frying everything else. Yum! The remoulade sauce is a bit spicy so I've toned it down a notch. Everyone's tummy was happy! Gr. Don even told me he loved me when we said our goodbyes.
Cajun Catfish 
1-2 lb. catfish fillets or nuggets
1 t. Creole seasoning
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
2 T. Creole or whole-grain mustard
1 c. buttermilk
4 c. oil
2 c. flour
Soak catfish pieces in mixture of buttermilk, Creole seasoning, salt, cayenne pepper, and mustard. Cover in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours or overnight. Heat 4 c. oil to 360' F in deep skillet. In separate bowl, combine flour with another teaspoon of salt and teaspoon of Creole seasoning. Dredge catfish in flour, shaking off any excess. Fry in batches about 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot with the chilled remoulade sauce.
Remoulade Sauce
1/4 c. green onions or scallions
1 t. chopped garlic
1/2 T. horseradish
1 T. Creole or whole-grain mustard
1 t. yellow mustard
2 T. ketchup
2 drops hot sauce
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. Fresh lemon juice
1 large egg
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
3/4 c. oil
Put first 12 ingredients in blender and process until smooth (30 seconds). With the motor running, slowly pour in the oil through the feed tube. The mixture will thicken. Transfer to covered container and chill for 1 hour.