You have a choice to make. To fry, or not to fry.
I happen to think it’s easier on a weeknight to put the fish on a baking sheet and let the oven do all the work, especially since I can do all the fish at once, and don’t have to do it in batches. But you could certainly fry the fish on the stove if you want to. The tacos will be tasty either way.
We had sharp cheddar on ours because that what was on hand, but I’m sure feta would be delicious. Also, the sweet potatoes are a tasty side dish on their own, and neither of us could stop eating them. So even if fish tacos aren’t your thing, I’d recommend trying the sweet potatoes next time you want something a little different on the side.
Catfish & Sweet Potato Tacos
Makes about 8 tacos
Catfish
1 lb catfish fillet, cut into 8 even strips
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/8 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
2 tsp chili powder
1 egg, beaten
Cooking spray
Potatoes
1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1″ cubes
kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp flour
2 tbsp olive oil
Slaw
1/4 of a small head of red cabbage, sliced thin
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp chipotle puree
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 fresh lime
salt and pepper to taste
Warm white corn tortillas, you may need 2 tortillas per taco
Shredded Cheddar
Chopped fresh cilantro
Hot sauce
Directions
- In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, chipotle puree, cilantro, and a healthy squeeze of lime. Salt and pepper to taste, and pile the cabbage on top. Don’t toss the cabbage with the dressing until you’re ready to serve. You can put this in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, and flour. In a medium bowl, toss the sweet potato cubes with 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Sprinkle the seasoned flour over the potatoes, and stir until the potatoes are fully coated. Use the other tbsp of olive oil to generously grease a baking sheet, and arrange the potatoes, separating them so that they don’t steam. Roast the potatoes until tender and browned, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, start on the fish: combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, and chili powder in a small bowl. Dip the fish strips in the egg, then dredge the fish in the cornmeal mixture and place on a baking sheet generously coated with cooking spray. Spray the top of the fish lightly, and bake the fish until brown and crisped, about 10-12 minutes.
- To serve, fill the warm tortillas with a crispy strip of fish, a few sweet potato pieces, and the slaw, and top with cheese, fresh cilantro, and hot sauce to taste.
Feeding Darragh 