A wise man once said “f*ck it, I’m going fishing”! And he lived happily ever after…
I do believe in making wishes on occasions such as a birthday, when you blow off the candles or New Year’s when the clock hits midnight. I don’t think there’s magic in that. I truly believe there is the law of attraction – when you really want something and you whisper that to yourself, you’re kind of drawn to make those little steps to make those things happen.
Although I did make one wish at midnight this time, my New Year started without any dramatic promises or wishes this time. Just a few simple ideas what I want to accomplish this year. Now we are getting closer to that catfish or truth be told – fish in general! One of my ideas – to learn fishing! It’s much easier to think of a mouthwatering dish when looking at the fish counter at the store. It’s a different story, when you need to come up with something depending on the catch of the day. Which, my guess, may always come as a surprise. Once I did try fishing. Caught a snail… And that’s a different story…
This time we did our shopping at a new store and the lady at the fish counter was very friendly and communicative. She described some of the choices in such a mouthwatering manner, that we decided to go with the catfish filet.
I’m not much of a fan of breaded and fried food. Yet this time the choice was done based on a recommendation that the fish would be super moist and delicious. And it was!
Catfish filet in panko flakes with celery puree
- 2 filets Catfish
- 1 Egg
- Panko flakes/crumbs
- 1 medium Celery root
- 1/2 cup Heavy cream
- 2-4 tbsp Butter
- Olive oil
- Maldon salt
- Start with the puree. Peel the celery root and cut into small, ~ 2cm cubes. Heat a pot, melt the butter and cook the cubes for a few minutes. Add a pinch of salt, pour over some boiling water – till it barely covers celery and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until celery gets tender.
- Drain excess liquid, add cream, a tablespoon of butter and blend.
- In the meantime, beat the egg in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix panko flakes with a few pinches of maldon salt. I love doing that, because it adds a bit of saltiness to the coating of the fish with a bit of crunch from salt flakes.
- Cut filet into sizes of your choice, dip them in beaten egg, then roll in panko flakes and fry in a bit of olive oil, till golden. Try turning filets as little as possible, so it doesn’t break into pieces.
Serve with your choice of sides. If you like a bit of acidity with your fish – drizzle with a touch of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
I love celery root puree. I’d choose it over potatoes any time. It’s lighter, flavorful and with different proportions of butter, cream or milk added, the taste may be slightly altered. I also added a pinch of dried herbs to it. I’d suggest to try it plain and then see if you want any additions.
Bon appetit!
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