Crispy Fish and Grits with a Jumbo Crab Cream Sauce
There’s something about fish and grits that just feels like Southern comfort at its best, but this version takes things a little further. Crispy, golden catfish is marinated in seasoned buttermilk, coated in a crunchy cornmeal breading, and fried until perfectly crisp. It’s served over a bowl of creamy, cheesy grits and finished with a luscious jumbo lump crab cream sauce loaded with sweet bell peppers, shallots, garlic, and plenty of tender crabmeat. Every bite brings together crispy, creamy, savory, and buttery in the most delicious way. This is the kind of comfort food that feels a little extra, and honestly, that’s exactly how it should be.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Catfish Marinade
- 4 catfish filets
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Crispy Fish Breading
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Jumbo Lump Crab Cream Sauce
- 8 oz jumbo lump crab meat
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup bell peppers diced
- 1/4 cup shallots minced
- 2 tbsp butter unsalted
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
Creamy Cheesy Grits
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grits old-fashioned
- 1/2 cup mild cheddar shredded
- 1/4 cup gouda cheese shredded
- 2 tbsp butter unsalted
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Garnish
- Parsley freshly chopped
Instructions
Catfish Marinade
- In a bowl, combine all ingredients listed under “Catfish Marinade” and mix thoroughly until fully incorporated. Set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
Crispy Fish Breading
- In a large bowl, add all ingredients listed under “Crispy Fish Breading” and whisk until everything is combined. Set aside.
Creamy Cheesy Grits
- To a deep pot over medium low heat, bring chicken broth and milk to a slight boil. Once achieved, add the grits and stir to combine. Stir occasionally and allow to cook for 8-10 minutes, Once the grits start to thicken and absorb the liquid, stir in the shredded cheddar and gouda cheese.
- Add butter, heavy cream, and continuously stir as the grits continue to thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This entire cooking process takes 18-20 minutes. Once cooked, set to low to keep warm or remove from heat if serving immediately.
Jumbo Lump Crab Cream Sauce
- To a pan over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté bell peppers and shallots until edges start to brown. About 2-3 minutes. Once slightly browned, add butter and garlic. Cook until the butter melts and the garlic is fragrant. About 1-2 minutes.
- Next, pour in the heavy cream and continue to stir until it comes to a simmer. Once achieved, add the lump crabmeat and season with dried oregano, salt, pepper and smoked paprika.
- Continue to cook for 4-5 minutes while gently stirring until the sauce thickens being cautious to not break up the crabmeat too much. Once thicken, turn to low to keep warm.
Assemble
- Heat a pot of canola oil to 330°F.
- Working in batches, remove the catfish from the marinade and dredge in the crispy fish breading. Shake off any excess, and fry the coated catfish for 7-8 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown.
- Once cooked, set the crispy catfish on a cooling rack.
- Serve the crispy catfish on a bed of the creamy cheesy grits and top with the jumbo lump crab cream sauce. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!