Serves 4
8 Mississippi Catfish fillets –
2 eggs –
dash of Worcestershire sauce –
dash of hot sauce –
2 1/2 cups milk –
1 cup yellow cornmeal –
1/3 cup all-purpose flour –
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste –
1 teaspoon lemon pepper –
2 quarts peanut oil –
8 scallions-
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3/4 cup Miracle Whip –
1/2 cup mayonnaise –
1/4 cup pickle relish –
1/4 cup finely chopped onion –
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
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Dickey Sauce – Tartar Sauce
In a medium bowl, fold together the Miracle Whip, mayonnaise, relish, onion, and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Catfish
Combine the eggs, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and milk together in a large bowl and beat it until frothy. In a shallow dish large enough to contain the fish, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, and lemon pepper.
With a small knife, score both sides of the catfish four times across. Dip the catfish into the egg wash, then dredge it completely with the cornmeal mixture, evenly coating the fish; set it aside.
In a large pot or deep fryer, heat the oil to 325 degrees. Add two fillets at a time -and cook 7 – 8 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Remove and place on paper towels to drain. Serve with scallions and Dickey sauce.
Story of Dickey Sauce:
This, folks, is the real deal: deep-fried catfish as it’s served at Taylor Grocery. “Dickey sauce” is nothing more than tartar sauce, but some Oxford locals privately renamed it in memory of the late poet and novelist James Dickey (Deliverance), who once dined at Taylor Grocery. When small bowls of tartar sauce were brought to the table, Dickey-famed for his formidable whiskey consumption-grabbed a spoon and lapped up all the sauce in his bowl. “That,” he announced, putting down his spoon, “was the best soup I’ve ever eaten.”
WOODWENWAY 