Blackened Catfish with Sweet Potato Hash and Cajun Remoulade

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Cast-iron blackened catfish with a deep smoky-cayenne crust, piled next to a caramelized sweet potato and bell pepper hash and cooled down with a punchy homemade Cajun remoulade. Everything gets its richness from avocado oil and egg yolk instead of butter, so it tastes like a Delta fish fry plate without a speck of flour, cornmeal or dairy.

Ingredients

• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 cup avocado oil
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickle
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained and chopped
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (cayenne pepper and vinegar only)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 3 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• 4 catfish fillets (about 6 oz each)
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Make the remoulade base: crack the egg into a tall, narrow jar just wide enough for an immersion blender. Add the lemon juice, Dijon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and then the 1 cup avocado oil. Let it settle for 30 seconds so the oil floats above the egg.
2. Rest the immersion blender head flat on the bottom of the jar and blend on high without moving it for about 15 seconds, until a thick white emulsion climbs the jar. Then slowly lift the blender to the surface, 5 to 10 seconds more, until all the oil is incorporated. (No immersion blender? Whisk the egg, lemon, mustard and salt in a bowl, then add the oil a few drops at a time, whisking constantly, until thick.)
3. Stir the smoked paprika, pickle, capers, scallion and hot sauce into the mayonnaise. Cover and refrigerate until serving; it thickens as it chills.
4. Whisk all the blackening spice ingredients together in a small bowl. Pat the catfish fillets very dry with paper towels and coat both sides generously with about two-thirds of the spice blend, pressing it on. Let the fish sit at room temperature while you cook the hash.
5. Heat 3 tablespoons avocado oil in a 12-inch cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. Add the sweet potatoes in an even layer and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, then stir and continue cooking 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until browned at the edges and just tender.
6. Add the bell pepper, onion, celery, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the remaining blackening spice. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables soften and the pan smells smoky. Stir in the garlic and cook 45 seconds more, then fold in the parsley. Scrape the hash into a bowl and cover to keep warm.
7. Wipe the skillet clean and set it over medium-high heat with the remaining 3 tablespoons avocado oil. When the oil just begins to smoke, lay in the fillets thicker side toward the center of the pan, working in two batches if needed to avoid crowding.
8. Cook the catfish undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes, until a dark mahogany crust forms and the edges turn opaque. Flip carefully with a thin spatula and cook 3 more minutes, until the fish flakes easily and registers 145°F at the thickest point. Turn on the vent hood — blackening makes smoke.
9. Divide the hash among four plates, set a fillet on each, and spoon a generous dollop of Cajun remoulade alongside. Serve with lemon wedges and extra remoulade for dipping.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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