Recipe: Catfish Pecan with Lemon Thyme Pecan Butter

Is this what you are looking for? Note other varieties of fish can be substituted for the catfish.

Catfish Pecan with Lemon Thyme Pecan Butter

"Trout amandine has nothing on catfish pecan, nothing. 'This is just plain good,' says Chef Jamie. Dickie Brennan, my cousin and a big fan of this dish, says, 'I've never seen an almond tree around here.' But pecan trees are everywhere in New Orleans. I have to work hard to beat my neighbors and my dog to the pecans from the tree in my front yard. Jamie's version of this dish uses browned butter and browned pecans surrounding the steaming catfish."

Makes 6 servings

3 cups (10 ounces) pecan halves
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Creole Seafood Seasoning to taste, or your favorite Creole seasoning
1 medium egg
1 cup milk
6 catfish fillets, 5 to 7 ounces each (or use flounder, trout, bass, or any thin, smaller, nonoily fish), free of bones and scales
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter
3 lemons, cut in half
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
6 large sprigs fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Place half the pecans, the flour, and the Creole seasoning in the workbowl of a food processor, and process until finely ground. Transfer the pecan flour to a large bowl.
Whisk the egg in a large mixing bowl and add the milk. Season both sides of the fish fillets with Creole Seasoning. One at a time, place the fillets in the egg wash.
Remove one fillet from the egg wash, letting any excess fluid drain back into the bowl. Dredge the fillet in the pecan flour and coat both sides, shaking off any excess. Transfer to a dry sheet pan, and repeat with the remaining fillets.
Place a large saut pan over high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the butter, Heat for about 2 minutes, or until the butter is completely melted and starts to bubble. Place three fish fillets in the pan, skin side up, and cook for 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for another 1 3/4 to 2 minutes, or until the fillets are evenly browned and crisp. Turn the fish over and cook on the second side for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, or until the fish is firm to the touch and an even brown. The most important factor in determining the ideal cooking time is the thickness of the fillets you are using.
Remove the fish, place on a baking rack, wipe the pan clean with a paper towel, add another 2 tablespoons of the butter, and repeat with the three remaining pieces of fish.
When all the fish fillets are cooked, wipe the pan clean and return the heat to high. Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter, and, just as the butter turns brown, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of pecans and saut for 2 to 3 minutes or until the nuts are toasted, stirring occasionally. Put the lemons face down in the pan, first squeezing a little juice from each piece. Add the Worcestershire and the fresh thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 30 seconds more, or until the thyme starts to wilt and become very aromatic.
Place on fish fillet and a lemon piece on each of six dinner plates, spoon some pecan butter around each piece of fish, and use the wilted thyme to garnish each plate.

Chef Jamie's Tips: Creole seasoning is used in the coating, the egg wash, and directly on the fish fillets to give this recipe its zest. The amounts are to your taste, but you want to give color and flavor to this recipe. When making the browned butter with pecans, don't brown the butter too much or it will become bitter. The thickness of the fish determines the actual saut time. If the fillets are especially thick, you can finish cooking them in the oven to keep from burning the crust.