Pretzel-Crusted Catfish

Late September, and the Lowcountry is beginning its autumn turn. The marsh grass gilding. The light shifting. The tourists thinning. The Librarian's Table publication is three weeks away — October 15th, the date circled on the calendar, the second book approaching with the particular excitement that is different from the first book's excitement: the first book was terror and hope. The second book is confidence and gratitude. The confidence is the knowing that the writing works. The gratitude is for the desk and the kitchen and the life that produced the writing.

I have been revising the RecipeSpinoff posts — not the content but the approach, deepening the writing, making the blog posts more literary, more Naomi, more the voice that the cookbook developed and that the second book refined. The blog is the third form: the cookbook was the memorial, the Librarian's Table is the pairing, and the blog is the ongoing, the weekly, the practice that does not end in a publication date but that continues, week by week, the way the cooking continues.

James called on Sunday. The baby is due in January. Elise is in her third trimester. James said, "We're ready." The ready is the lie that all expectant parents tell, the lie that is also the truth, because you are never ready and you are always ready, and the paradox is the parenthood, and the parenthood is approaching.

I made shrimp pilau — the fall rice dish, the weeknight Lowcountry classic, the dish that says the season has turned and the turning is the cooking and the cooking is the September.

The pilau was already on the stove when I remembered I had catfish in the refrigerator — and the catfish won, the way the unexpected thing sometimes wins, because the pretzel crust is the crunch that the season wanted, crisp and golden and unapologetic, the way confidence is unapologetic after you have written two books and know that the writing works. I made it for myself at the kitchen table with the marsh light coming through the window, and it was exactly September, exactly right.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 catfish fillets (about 6 oz each)
2 cups small pretzel twists
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

Crush the pretzels. Place pretzels in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin until you have coarse, uneven crumbs — some fine, some pea-sized. Pour into a shallow bowl.
Set up the dredging station. Place flour in one shallow bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs and whole-grain mustard until smooth. Season the pretzel crumbs with garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper and stir to combine.
Season the catfish. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels. Season lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.
Dredge each fillet. Working one fillet at a time, coat in flour and shake off the excess, then dip into the egg-mustard mixture, letting any excess drip off. Press firmly into the pretzel crumbs on both sides, ensuring an even, thorough crust.
Pan-fry. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet (cast iron works beautifully) over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the fillets without crowding and cook 5 to 6 minutes per side, turning once, until the crust is deep golden and the fish flakes easily at its thickest point.
Rest and serve. Transfer to a wire rack or paper-towel-lined plate and let rest 2 minutes. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and a simple slaw or green salad alongside.

Nutrition (per serving)

Pretzel-Crusted Catfish — The Crunch of a Season Turning