What can I say… it has been a while and I do feel guilty. Between an incredibly busy summer with many weddings and other social engagements, paired with some pretty drastic (positive) changes on the work front, I’ve felt generally drained and uninspired to carry-out this little project called Kristel’s Kitchen. I do not want to make excuses or give apologies because let’s face it, sometimes life happens, and I am glad it does!
Now however, the leaves have fallen, the thermostat has been turned on and the holidays are well on their way. Although life – both professional and personal – continues to be hectic, I am feeling once again inspired. I am in no place to make any promises and I am still finding my way around this blog. Admittedly, I was missing my little Kitchen. Don’t panic, it will still be about food and my cooking, but for all the used-to-be-readers out there, if you have any insight as to what brought you here or what keeps you coming back or what you would like to know/read more about, then by all means share your thoughts with me. Your feedback is what will keep me going, particular in those times when creativity decides to sporadically hibernate.
In the meantime to keep your taste buds salivating, let me share a tid-bit of sandwich porn with you…
The Catfish Sandwich Ménage-à-Deux
- One large catfish filet, cut into two pieces
- Two soft bread rolls, toasted if desired
- Lettuce of your choice, I had arugula in the fridge
- One tomato, sliced
- ½ of a red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup of cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp of toasted cumin and coriander seeds
- 1 cup of bread crumbs
- Chutney of your choice (I had made a batch of peach and poblano chutney earlier this fall)
- Mayonnaise
Begin by prepping your spices and pickled onions.
Pickled Onion: thinly slice half of a red onion and combine with the cider vinegar in a small bowl. Marinate for about 15 minutes. Strain prior to using.
Toasted Cumin and Coriander Seeds: in a dry pan on medium-high, toast equal parts cumin seeds and coriander seeds until fragrant (no more than ten minutes). Remove from pan and grind using a mortar and pestle or a processor. This is great to have on hand for many dishes, so make extra and keep in a sealed jar for other meals!
The Sandwhich: In a large plate combine bread crumbs and the toasted cumin and coriander spice blend. Salt and pepper the catfish, then evenly coat the filet pieces with the bread crumb mixture. In a pan large enough to cook both pieces of fish, coat the bottom of the pan with oil and bring up to a medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot enough, place the fish in the pan and fry until the edges turn golden brown prior to flipping. You do not want to burn the fish so make sure the heat is not too high – adjust accordingly. Only flip the fish once. If you toss it around too much it will fall apart. Once the fish is cooked through (the flesh is white and opaque, no longer translucent), remove from pan and drain on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
While the fish is cooking, start building your sandwich: bottom bun, chutney, lettuce, tomato, fish, pickled onion, mayo and top bun.
So, why Ménage-à-Deux? The significant other and I were the only two people sitting at the dinner table on Monday night. Grab extra napkins, a beer, your lover and dig in! Trust me, you will be satisfied.
Kristel's Kitchen 