SUNNY'S CATFISH NUGGETS

Sunny's Catfish Nuggets image

Provided by Sunny Anderson

Time 1h15m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

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2 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 catfish fillets, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cups flour, divided
3 eggs
1 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 cup hot sauce
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Steps:

In a bowl, add the 2 cups milk and a heavy pinch of salt. Whisk to dissolve and add the fish chunks. Allow to soak at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Set up the dredging station: In the first bowl, add 1 cup flour. In the second bowl, whisk the eggs and add the remaining 2 tablespoons milk. In the third bowl, add the remaining 1 cup flour, the cornmeal, sugar and a pinch of salt followed by a few grinds of pepper.
In a frying pan with straight sides, add enough oil to fill 1-inch deep. Heat until the oil begins to swirl and the handle of a wooden spoon begins to sizzle as soon as it hits the oil. The oil will be about 350 degrees F.
Remove the fish from the milk in batches of 6 to 8 chunks. Shake the excess milk off the fish. Dredge in the flour, then the egg wash and then in the flour and cornmeal mixture. Add the batch to the oil, making sure to not overcrowd the pan and bring down the temperature. Fry, flipping once if needed, until a light golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and season with a sprinkle of salt. Repeat until all the fish chunks are done.
In a small bowl, add the hot sauce and sift the sugar on top. Gently stir together. Drizzle over the nuggets or dunk them in the sauce.