OUR FAVORITE RECIPES
TAILGATING RECIPES
Simmons Hot Catfish Tacos by Restaurant Tyler
SERVINGS:
20 Tacos
Hot Cheeto-crusted, fried Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites served on a warm tortilla with charred Street Corn Salad, Cotija cheese, Lime Crema, and MS Red Hot Sauce (by Restaurant Tyler) and fresh cilantro.
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HOT CATFISH BATTER
5 lbs Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites (or you may also use Simmons Catfish Fillets cut into 1 oz. pieces).
1 quart corn nuts.
2 cups Hot Cheetos.
1/2 cup corn starch.
20 of your favorite tortillas.
MS RED AIOLI
2 jars (32 oz. each) Duke's Mayonnaise.
3/4 cup MS Red Hot Sauce (or substitute your favorite hot sauce).
STREET CORN SALAD
6 lbs whole kernel corn.
1/2 cup vegetable oil.
3 bunches green onions (minced).
1/2 tablespoon cumin.
1 teaspoon cinnamon.
1 teaspoon nutmeg.
3/4 tablespoon kosher salt.
1/2 teaspoon allspice.
1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
3 tablespoons garlic (raw, minced).
6 limes (juiced).
2 cups MS Red Aioli.
2 lbs Cotija cheese (finely crumbled).
LIME CREMA
3 lbs sour cream.
8 limes (juiced and zested).
1 teaspoon garlic (granulated).
1 teaspoon kosher salt.
1/2 teaspoon cumin.
1 tablespoon MS Red Hot Sauce (or substitute your favorite hot sauce).
FILLET BITES WITH HOT CATFISH BATTER
Combine corn nuts, hot Cheetos and corn starch into a blender and slowly pulse until mixture breaks down into small enough pieces to blend smooth. Put catfish fillet bites directly into the batter and pat dry before frying.
MS RED AIOLI
Whisk ingredients together in mixing bowl and refrigerate to serve.
STREET CORN SALAD
Get oil screaming hot in a large skillet and add all ingredients except for garlic, lime juice and aioli. Allow the corn to scorch on the bottom and scrape it as you go. Once it’s about halfway burnt, add the garlic. Once fragrant, deglaze with the lime juice and chill mixture. Add the aioli once cooled and serve cold. You'll have plenty of Street Corn Salad left over after making your tacos and it's also great as a side!
LIME CREMA
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir thoroughly. Chill before serving.
Heat your tortillas and assemble tacos by placing fried Catfish Fillet Bites on top; top with Street Corn Salad, MS Red Aioli, and Lime Crema, then garnish with fresh cilantro.
Smoked Simmons Catfish Deviled Eggs
by Restaurant Tyler
SERVINGS:
120 Deviled Eggs
Southern-style deviled farm eggs stuffed with smoked Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites and finished with quick pickled cucumber, beet and fresh dill.
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DEVILED EGGS
2 lbs Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites (or you may also use Simmons Catfish Fillets cut into 1 oz. pieces).
60 eggs (boiled).
1/4 cup Duke's Mayonnaise.
1/2 cup yellow mustard.
6 tablespoons MS Red Hot Sauce (or substitute your favorite hot sauce).
1 teaspoon granulated garlic.
1 teaspoon onion powder.
1 teaspoon kosher salt.
3/4 cup pickle juice.
5 ounces Garlic Herb Boursin Cheese.
QUICK PICKLED CUCUMBERS
5 lbs Cucumbers.
1 can pickle spears (#10)
1 tablespoon dill weed.
1/2 tablespoon granulated garlic.
1/4 cup kosher salt.
1/2 cup granulated sugar.
QUICK PICKLED CUCUMBERS
Drain pickle juice from can and reserve. Vacuum seal and refrigerate spears for later use. Whisk all dry ingredients into pickle juice vigorously until salt and sugar have dissolved. Cut cucumbers into 1/4 inch wheels and divide evenly amongst four vacuum seal bags. Pour liquid evenly into the four bags and carefully vacuum seal each one. Refrigerate until use.
SMOKED SIMMONS CATFISH DEVILED EGGS
Egg Boiling Method
Place one flat of eggs (30) in the bottom of a large stock pot. They should cover the bottom of the pan in one layer. It’s important that the eggs come straight out of the refrigerator, as room temperature eggs will throw off the timing of the cooking process. Pour enough hot water to cover the eggs by at least three inches. Add one tablespoon (1 T) kosher salt to the pot and place it on the eye over high heat. Once the water comes to a rolling boil (this will happen around the edges first), kill the heat. Leave the pot on the hot eye with the eye turned off and set a timer for 9 minutes 15 seconds. When the timer goes off, remove the eggs immediately and place them into an ice bath. Allow to fully cool before peeling. This method is tested only for large eggs that begin the process straight out of the refrigerator. Smaller or room temperature eggs will require less cooking time.
Catfish Smoking Method
Place at least two pounds (moisture is lost during the cooking process) of Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites on a greased roasting rack inside a hickory wood smoker preferably around 160 degrees F. Allow them to smoke until they are cooked thoroughly, but not more than 4 hours. Refrigerate before blending into deviled egg mousse.
Allow eggs and catfish to fully cool. Separate out the yolks, set boiled egg whites aside to fill later. Combine yolks, catfish and all ingredients in a food processor. Blend until very smooth. Pipe the mousse into the cooked egg whites immediately prior to serving. Sprinkle with paprika and garnish with dill.
If serving immediately, place pickles and beets on top of eggs. If preparing for later, serve pickles and beets on the side (to prevent the beets from turning your eggs purple while in the refrigerator).
Simmons Catfish Bite Al Pastor by Restaurant Tyler
SERVINGS:
40 Skewers
Skewered, chipotle-marinated Simmons Catfish fillet bites with pineapple, grilled to perfection and served with an avocado and roasted peanut chimichurri.
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SKEWERS
10 lbs Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites (or you may also use Simmons Catfish Fillets cut into 1 oz. pieces).
2 pineapples.
40 six inch wooden skewers.
AL PASTOR MARINADE
1 yellow onion (minced).
20 garlic cloves (peeled).
1 cup fresh mint.
8 ounces chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.
1/2 gallon orange juice.
8 limes (juiced).
1 cup soy sauce.
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce.
1 tablespoon cumin.
1 tablespoon coriander.
1 tablespoon garlic (granulated).
1 teaspoon cinnamon.
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg.
AVOCADO AND PEANUT CHIMICHURRI
2 cups mustard micro greens.
1 avocado (ripe, cored and sliced).
1 cup peanuts (roasted, unsalted).
1 ounce fresh basil.
1/2 ounce fresh mint.
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard.
1/4 cup jalapenos (pickled).
1/2 cup garlic (roasted).
4 limes (juiced).
2 lemons (juiced).
1/4 cup Hoover sauce.
1 cup olive oil.
1 cup orange juice.
1 tablespoon kosher salt.
AVOCADO AND PEANUT CHIMICHURRI
Combine all ingredients into food processor and blend until smooth.
SIMMONS CATFISH BITE AL PASTOR
Cut the pineapple to roughly the same size as the Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites. If using whole Simmons Catfish Fillets, cut fillets into 1 oz. pieces. Thread four pieces of catfish and four pieces of pineapple onto each 6 in. wooden skewer. Combine all marinade ingredients and blend until smooth. Marinate the whole skewers in the al pastor marinade for at least 4 hours prior to grilling. While grilling, baste skewers with marinade. Serve with the avocado peanut chimichurri.
Simmons Catfish Bite Ceviche by Restaurant Tyler
SERVINGS:
10 to 15 bowls.
Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites marinated in citrus juices with peaches, heirloom cherry tomatoes, garlic and jalapeno. Served with sliced avocado, pickled red onion and fried toast points.
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SIMMONS CATFISH BITE CEVICHE
4 lbs Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites (or you may also use Simmons Catfish Fillets cut into 1/2 in. pieces).
3 peaches (peeled, cored and diced).
1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes (quartered).
8 limes (juiced and zested).
6 oranges (juiced and zested).
4 lemons (juiced and zested).
3 tomatillo peppers (roasted and skinned).
2 tablespoons raw garlic (minced).
2 tablespoons kosher salt.
1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro.
1 tablespoons Sambal.
SIMMONS CATFISH BITE CEVICHE
Combine all ingredients in blender except Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites, peaches and cherry tomatoes and blend until smooth. Combine mixture with remaining ingredients and store refrigerated in a plastic container for at least 24 hours before serving. This gives the acids in the fruit mixture ample time to chemically cook the fish and for the flavors to marry. Garnish with pickled red onion, fresh sliced avocado, fried toast points, and fresh dill.
Simmons Smoked Catfish Dip by Restaurant Tyler
SERVINGS:
1 Quart of Dip;
Enough to fill 20 pear halves.
Smoked Simmons Catfish dip served on grilled Bartlett pears and finished with candied bacon, fresh mint and apple cider vinegar reduction.
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SIMMONS SMOKED CATFISH DIP
3 lbs Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites (or you may also use Simmons Catfish Fillets cut into 1/2 in. pieces).
16 oz. cream cheese.
2/3 cup sour cream.
2 tablespoons mayonnaise.
1/2 of a red onion.
2 oz. roasted garlic.
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.
1 tablespoon MS Red Hot sauce (or substitute your favorite hot sauce).
1 teaspoon black pepper.
1/2 teaspoon red pepper.
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.
1 teaspoon onion powder.
1 teaspoon bay seasonings.
1 lemon (juice and zest).
1/2 teaspoon celery seed.
1/2 teaspoon salt.
CIDER VINEGAR REDUCTION
1 quart apple cider vinegar.
1 cup honey.
PEAR HALVES & CANDIED BACON
10 Bartlett pears.
1 lb sliced bacon.
Turbinado sugar (course raw sugar).
Cayenne pepper.
Maple syrup.
SIMMONS SMOKED CATFISH DIP
Arrange 3 pounds of Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites onto a greased wire rack in your smoker and allow to smoke with your preferred wood (we use a mixture of hickory, mesquite and apple) at a temperature of 160 degrees F for 3 hours. All smokers behave differently, so this time may vary. The key is to keep your temperature low enough to not dry out the fish. If you start to get too much color on them before they’re done in the center, you can take them out of the smoker and finish them for a couple of minutes in the oven.
Combine smoked catfish and all other dip ingredients in food processor and blend, label date, and refrigerate. (The smoking process provides a certain amount of preservation to the catfish, so this dip will last at least two weeks in the fridge).
CIDER VINEGAR REDUCTION
Bring the apple cider vinegar to a boil over medium high heat in a small sauce pan. Once boiling, move heat to one side of the pan to prevent overflow and let it boil until the volume has reduced by at least half. Cut heat down to medium and add the honey. Allow mixture to slowly return to boil, stirring continuously until it reduces in volume by another third. Let cool and store at room temperature.
GRILLED PEAR HALVES
Slice the pears in half (leaving the skin on) and scoop out the seeds in the center. Place them onto a nice hot grill with the cut sides down. We like to avoid oil or any kind of sugars, at least initially, as they tend to cause the grill to flame up and burn the fruit before you’ve had time to caramelize the natural sugars inside the pears. You could finish these with some brown sugar or some of the apple cider reduction for a more savory vibe. The pears are done when they become soft to the touch. If the pears begin to fall apart, you've grilled them too long.
CANDIED BACON
Lay out one pound of sliced bacon onto a sheet tray and bake it in the oven at 350 degrees F until it is done, but not crispy. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool just enough that the bacon won’t immediately melt the sugar you’re going to apply to it. We brush the bacon with maple syrup and then sprinkle each slice with a combination of turbinado sugar (course raw sugar) and cayenne pepper. Put the pan back in the oven and cook until the bacon begins to darken and crisp. Allow to cool; then break up into small enough pieces to garnish your pears.
Simmons Low Country Cajun Catfish Wrap
by Restaurant Tyler
SERVINGS:
About 20 Wraps.
Blackened Simmons Catfish Bites wrapped in a grilled flour tortilla with chicken and sausage jambalaya and house-made remoulade.
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BLACKENED SIMMONS CATFISH BITES
5 lbs Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites (or you may also use Simmons Catfish Fillets cut into 1 oz. pieces).
2 cups Spanish paprika.
1/2 cup chili powder.
1/4 cup garlic (granulated).
1/4 cup onion powder.
4 tablespoons thyme (dried).
2 tablespoons kosher salt.
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper.
CHICKEN & SAUSAGE JAMBALYA
1 lb. chicken thigh (cut into 1/2 inch cubes).
1 lb. of your favorite sausage.
2 cups yellow onion (minced).
2 cups green bell pepper (minced).
1 cup celery (minced).
1/4 cup raw garlic (minced).
1/2 cup bourbon.
2 tablespoons paprika.
1 tablespoon thyme.
1 tablespoon oregano.
1/2 tablespoon garlic (granulated).
1/2 tablespoon onion powder.
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
1 tablespoon kosher salt.
1 teaspoon black pepper.
4 bay leaves.
6 cups Jasmine rice.
9 cups clam juice.
1/2 cup heavy cream.
2 cups rotel tomatoes.
REMOULADE
1 gallon mayonnaise.
2 cups dijon mustard.
2 medium sized yellow onions (minced).
8 lemons (juiced).
2 cups Worchestershire sauce.
1 bottle Louisiana Hot Sauce.
1/2 cup garlic (granulated).
1/2 cup onion powder.
1 cup paprika.
1 tablespoon kosher salt.
1 tablespoon black pepper (crushed).
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper.
20 of your favorite tortillas.
CHICKEN & SAUSAGE JAMBALYA
Sear the chicken, sausage, spices and all vegetables except the garlic in a heavy stock pot until brown. Add the garlic, cook until fragrant, and deglaze with the bourbon. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low simmer and cover pot, stirring occasionally until rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid.
REMOULADE
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir together until homogeneous.
BLACKENED SIMMONS CATFISH BITES
Create your blackened seasoning by combining all ingredients in a bowl and mixing thoroughly. Roll the catfish bites in the blackened seasoning and cook in hot oil in a cast-iron skillet on the grill. Transfer the cooked fish onto some paper towels to drain some of the oil off and cool slightly.
ASSEMBLING THE WRAPS
Smear remoulade liberally onto the inside of your tortilla. Arrange three to four pieces of blackened catfish in a straight line and add a four-ounce serving spoon’s worth of the jambalaya. Roll up the wrap as tightly as possible, tucking the ends inside. Once assembled, place burritos back into a clean, greased cast-iron skillet for a minute or so on medium heat until each side is golden brown.
Simmons Catfish Bahn Mi by Restaurant Tyler
SERVINGS:
20 slider-sized sandwiches
Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites dredged in corn meal, deep-fried, and served on French Bread with shaved ham, sesame cilantro tartar sauce and pickled onion, carrot and cucumber.
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SIMMONS CATFISH BAHN MI
4 lbs Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites (or you may also use Simmons Catfish Fillets cut into 1 oz. pieces).
5 Gambino French Bread loaves (or equivalent).
20 slices of your favorite prosciutto, capicola, culatello or speck ham.
1 pint jar thinly sliced onions.
1 pint jar thinly sliced carrots.
1 pint jar thinly sliced cucumber.
Corn meal.
SESAME CILANTRO TARTAR SAUCE
4 cups mayonnaise.
2 tablespoons raw garlic (minced).
1/4 cup oil.
1/4 rice wine vinegar.
2 lemons (zested and juiced).
4 limes (zested and juiced).
1 tablespoon sesame oil.
1/2 cup fresh cilantro.
1 tablespoon crème de tartare.
2 tablespoons sambal.
1 teaspoon kosher salt.
PICKLING LIQUID
1 tablespoon pickling spice.
10 whole cloves.
1/4 teaspoon anise seeds.
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (ground).
1/4 teaspoon cumin (ground).
10 garlic cloves (raw, whole).
8 cups apple cider vinegar.
10 chiles de arbol.
8 limes (juiced).
4 tablespoons granulated sugar.
4 teaspoons kosher salt.
FRIED SIMMONS CATFISH BITES
Toss wet Simmons Catfish Bites (or Simmons Catfish Fillets cut into 1 oz. pieces) straight into yellow corn meal until thoroughly coated and dry to the touch. Heat oil to 350 degrees and fry until golden brown with an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Frying these smaller pieces of catfish should take no longer than five minutes.
SESAME CILANTRO TARTAR SAUCE
Slowly toast the raw garlic in the oil until it turns blonde. Add the citrus zest and deglaze with the rice wine vinegar. Combine all the ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until use. Best made at least one day prior to use.
PICKLED VEGETABLES
Start with whole garlic cloves and chiles in a hot, dry sauce pan. Once they start to scorch, add all of the spices except for the salt and the sugar. Rotate off and onto heat for a few minutes until the spices are very fragrant. Deglaze with lime juice and add the rest of the ingredients (including lime bodies). Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to steep for 30 min. (No reduction). Strain mixture and while still hot, pour over your 1 pint jars of sliced onions, carrots and cucumber. Allow the pickled vegetables to sit in the liquid for a minimum of 24 hours before serving. The pickled vegetables will keep almost indefinitely in the refrigerator.
ASSEMBLING YOUR BAHN MI SANDWICHES
Slice your french bread loaves into slider-sized buns (typically one 12 inch loaf will make about 4 sandwiches). Coat your french bread with Sesame Cilantro Tartar Sauce and place 2 to 3 pieces of fried catfish on the bread. Top with pickled onions, carrots, and cucumbers and with 1 or 2 slices of prosciutto or your choice of aged Italian ham.
Fried Simmons Catfish Poppers by Restaurant Tyler
SERVINGS:
60 Poppers
Hoover-marinated Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites and scorched jalapeño pepper wrapped in bacon and deep-fried. Served with fancy dipping sauce.
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FRIED CATFISH POPPERS
4 lbs Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites (or you may also use Simmons Catfish Fillets cut into 1 oz. pieces).
60 slices of your favorite bacon.
30 jalpeño peppers (whole).
HOOVER SAUCE
4 cups soy sauce.
4 jars (36 oz. each) hoisin sauce.
2-1/2 cups local wildflower honey.
FANCY SAUCE
2 squeeze bottles of ketchup.
3 cups mayonnaise.
1/4 cup Dijon mustard.
1/4 cup honey mustard.
4 lemons (juiced).
1/4 cup jalapeño juice.
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce.
2 tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce.
2 tablespoons granulated garlic.
2 tablespoons onion powder.
1 tablespoon kosher salt.
1/2 tablespoon white pepper.
1 cup ranch dressing.
2 tablespoons paprika.
2 tablespoon granulated sugar.
HOOVER SAUCE
Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Chill before marinating.
FANCY SAUCE
Combine all the ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth.
FRIED SIMMONS CATFISH POPPERS
Marinate Simmons Catfish Fillet bites in Hoover sauce for at least three hours. While catfish is marinating, cut jalapeño peppers in half length wise and remove the stem, seeds and veins. Throw sliced peppers directly onto the grill until scorched on both sides. Once peppers are scorched, lay out slices of raw bacon and roll one slice of bacon around a single catfish bite and half a pepper. Secure the bacon at its end with a toothpick through the entire popper. Poppers can be cooked directly on the grill, but we prefer to drop them straight into a 350 degree F fryer until the bacon is nice and crispy to avoid burning. Finish cooking the poppers in an oven or on the grill with indirect heat until the internal temperature of each bite is 160 F. They’re best right off the grill! Serve with an ample amount of Fancy Sauce over the top or on the side!
Simmons Catfish Tamales by Restaurant Tyler
SERVINGS:
50 Tamales
Simmons catfish and caramelized spiced vegetable tamales, finished with collard green aji verde and lime crema.
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50 corn husks.
Cojita cheese crumbles.
MASA DOUGH
4.5 cups Masa Harina.
5.5 cups warm chicken stock.
1 lb. pork lard.
TAMALE FILLING
3 lbs Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites (or you may also use Simmons Catfish Fillets cut into 1 oz. pieces).
2 cups diced onions.
2 cups diced bell pepper.
1/2 cup diced jalapeño.
1/4 cup minced garlic.
1 tablespoon cumin.
1 tablespoon salt.
1 tablespoon black pepper.
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
1 teaspoon allspice.
COLLARD GREEN AJI VERDE
3 cups fresh jalapeños.
2 cups cotija cheese.
2 limes juiced.
2 cups mayonnaise.
2 cups cilantro.
1 cup collard greens.
1/2 cup garlic.
1/4 cup white vinegar.
1 cup kosher salt.
LIME CREMA
3 lbs sour cream.
8 limes (juiced and zested).
1 teaspoon garlic (granulated).
1 teaspoon kosher salt.
1/2 teaspoon cumin.
1 tablespoon MS red hot sauce (or your favorite hot sauce).
MASA DOUGH
Fold lard, stock, masa together in mixing bowl vigorously until thoroughly combined. You can use store-bought chicken base or bouillon cubes to make the chicken stock. The lard can be found at most grocery stores labeled “Manteca”.
TAMALE FILLING
Caramelize vegetables and spices, then add catfish to simmer for 10 minutes.
COLLARD GREEN AJI VERDE
Mix all ingredients in a blender and blend smooth.
LIME CREMA
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine thoroughly. Chill before serving.
CREATING THE TAMALES
Soak 50 corn husks in warm water for 30 minutes. Spread Masa Dough evenly on a single corn husk, leaving empty space 2 inches from tapered end. Press filling in middle of dough in an even line, roll, close, and tie. Stack vertically with open end facing up in a steam pot. Steam covered for 1.5 hours. In Latin America, tamale preparation tends to be a family affair, so the more hands available to help, the better!
For the steaming process, if you don't have a pot specifically designed for tamales (one with a raised, perforated bottom so that the tamales are not sitting in the boiling water), the easiest substitution is a large pot with a colander turned upside down on the bottom, stacking the tamales on the colander without their sitting in the boiling water. If you don't have a lid for your container, cover it with plastic wrap.
When the allotted amount of steaming time has elapsed and you take out the tamales, they will still feel very soft. This is normal. They need to sit for 30 minutes or so to set before serving. We generally prepare our tamales to be finished steaming an hour before serving time. We simply take the pot off the heat and cover it. They will still be warm and perfectly set by the time everyone's ready to dig in.
Offer your Aji Verde and Lime Crema on the side and allow your guests to open their tamales and apply the sauces to taste. Have some cojita cheese crumbles on hand to sprinkle on top and slices of fresh lime for a little extra color and flavor!
Simmons Catfish Egg Rolls by Restaurant Tyler
SERVINGS:
30 Egg Rolls
Sweet and spicy fried egg rolls stuffed with Simmons Catfish and finished with Muscadine Duck Sauce and MS Red Hot Mustard.
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30 egg roll wrappers.
EGG ROLL STUFFING
2 lbs minced Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites (or you may also use Simmons Catfish Fillets).
1/4 cup oil.
1 head of cabbage (green, shredded).
1 cup carrot (shredded).
1 red onion (shaved).
2 tablespoons garlic (raw, minced).
2 tablespoons soy sauce.
2 teaspoons sugar.
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
3 egg yolks.
MUSCADINE DUCK SAUCE
16 ounces (4 bottles) duck sauce.
10 ounces (1 bottle) Mae Ploy Thai chili pepper glaze.
1 cup muscadine wine.
MS RED HOT MUSTARD
20 ounces French's yellow mustard.
4 ounces honey mustard.
2 teaspoons Chinese mustard powder.
2 tablespoons MS Red Hot Sauce (or Cholula hot sauce).
1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce.
1/4 cup Mirrin (sweet rice vinegar).
SIMMONS CATFISH EGG ROLL STUFFING
Lightly cook the cabbage, carrots, red onion, garlic, sugar, and cayenne pepper in the oil until the cabbage begins to break down and the garlic begins to brown. Add the soy sauce and catfish and cook until the catfish is 160 degrees internal. Allow the mixture to cool, then fold in the egg yolks. Save the egg whites to use later in creating your egg rolls.
MUSCADINE DUCK SAUCE
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly. For this recipe, we recommend the Dai Day brand of duck sauce and Mai Ploy brand thai chili glaze. For the muscadine wine, we recommend Old South, which is made in Natchez, MS.
MS RED HOT MUSTARD
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir vigorously until homogenized. All of these ingredients can be found at your local Asian market except for the MS Red hot sauce. If you can’t find it locally, substitute red Cholula hot sauce or another of your favorite hot sauces.
FRYING YOUR EGG ROLLS
Each egg roll wrapper will hold roughly 2 tablespoons of the stuffing. Simply arrange stuffing in a straight line horizontally in the center of the wrapper. Then, brush the outer edges of the wrapper with the leftover egg whites and roll up like a burrito. Fry the egg rolls a few at a time in 350 degree F oil until golden brown on the outside.
Drizzle your Muscadine Duck Sauce and MS Red Hot Mustard over your finished egg rolls or serve on the side.
Simmons Catfish al Cartoccio by Restaurant Tyler
SERVINGS:
20 al Cartoccio Packs
Aromatic and flavorful Simmons catfish al Cartoccio packs filled with delicious sweet potato cornbread stuffing and finished with Saffron Aioli for a pop of flavor and color.
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5 lbs Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites (or you may also use Simmons Catfish Fillets cut into 1 oz. pieces).
10 whole oranges.
10 whole lemons.
20 fresh rosemary sprigs.
40 whole raw garlic cloves (peeled).
SWEET POTATO CORNBREAD
6 cups granulated sugar.
6 cups all purpose flour.
14 cups white, self-rising cornmeal.
6 cups buttermilk.
6 cups water.
1 quart liquid eggs.
2 lbs. sweet potato (boiled and peeled).
SWEET POTATO CORNBREAD STUFFING
12 cups sweet potato cornbread (cooled and crumbled as finely as possible).
1/2 cup oil.
2 yellow onions (minced).
1 bunch celery (minced).
4 tablespoons garlic (raw, minced).
1 cup muscadine wine.
1 quart clam juice.
1 stick of butter (4 oz.).
1 can rotel tomatoes (10 oz.).
1 cup lentil beans.
1 tablespoon thyme (dried).
1 tablespoon oregano (dried).
1 tablespoon kosher salt.
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper.
SAFFRON AIOLI
1/4 cup oil.
4 teaspoons raw garlic (minced).
2 cups white wine.
1 teaspoon kosher salt.
1 pinch saffron.
1 quart mayonnaise.
SAFFON AIOLI
Saute the garlic in a small sauce pan in the oil over medium heat until the garlic begins to brown. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce by one quarter volume. Turn heat down low and add the kosher salt and saffron. Stir the saffron for a few minutes until it has released all of its fragrance and color. The wine should be bright yellow. Allow to cool and add to the mayonnaise. Mix thoroughly and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
SWEET POTATO CORNBREAD
Combine all wet ingredients (including sweet potato) in large mixing bowl until homogenous. Slowly add dry ingredients thoroughly mixed together using a spatula or large spoon into wet ingredients. It’s imperative that you do not use a whisk or your hands or other aggressive whisking device (over-mixing the batter will make dense, dry cornbread). Once thoroughly combined, scoop the mixture into greased muffin pans and cook at 350 degrees F for roughly 20 minutes. This recipe will make roughly 100 cornbread muffins.
SWEET POTATO CORNBREAD STUFFING
Sweat the onions and celery in the oil with the dried spices in a large saucepan until translucent. Add the garlic and, once fragrant, deglaze the pan with the muscadine wine. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cornbread and cook at a low boil until the lentil beans are tender. This will take at least 30 minutes. Finally, add the crumbled cornbread and mix thoroughly. The mixture should be moist, but not runny. For best results, let cool before assembling the grill packs. This recipe will make at least 20 packs.
ASSEMBLING YOUR SIMMONS CATFISH AL CARTOCCIO PACKS
Place a heaping cup of the sweet potato cornbread stuffing in the center of a square 18 inch piece of aluminum foil. Arrange 4-5 Simmons Catfish bites on top of the stuffing. On top of the catfish, arrange 2-1/4 inch slices of lemon and orange with a spring of fresh rosemary and a few whole raw garlic cloves. Fold the aluminum foil up over the food and cinch it together as to create a seal, but not touch the food itself on top. Cook on a medium hot portion of the grill for 30 minutes or until the fish and stuffing underneath reach 160 degrees F. Unwrap just before eating to enjoy the aromatics contained inside and garnish with the saffron aioli.
Simmons Catfish and Chips by Restaurant Tyler
SERVINGS:
About 32 half-inch thick chips; enough for 6-8 people.
Smoked Simmons Catfish Dip smeared onto lemon pepper-crusted crispy cottage potato fries with garlic herb Boursin cheese, malt vinegar crema, fresh dill and chile naranja salt.
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SIMMONS SMOKED CATFISH DIP
3 lbs Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites (or you may also use Simmons Catfish Fillets cut into 1/2 in. pieces).
16 oz. cream cheese.
2/3 cup sour cream.
2 tablespoons mayonnaise.
1/2 of a red onion.
2 oz. roasted garlic.
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.
1 tablespoon MS Red Hot sauce (or substitute your favorite hot sauce).
1 teaspoon black pepper.
1/2 teaspoon red pepper.
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.
1 teaspoon onion powder.
1 teaspoon bay seasonings.
1 lemon (juice and zest).
1/2 teaspoon celery seed.
1/2 teaspoon salt.
CHIPS
4 Yukon Gold potatoes (2-3 inch diameter).
1 quart water.
1 quart white vinegar.
1 cup kosher salt.
1 tablespoon dill weed.
1 tablespoon granulated garlic.
1/2 gallon vegetable oil.
1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning.
5 ounces Garlic Herb Boursin cheese.
MALT VINEGAR CREMA
3 lbs. sour cream.
4 limes (juiced and zested).
1/2 cup malt vinegar.
1 teaspoon garlic (granulated).
1 teaspoon kosher salt.
1 tablespoon MS Red Hot Sauce (or substitute your favorite hot sauce).
SIMMONS SMOKED CATFISH DIP
Arrange 3 pounds of Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites onto a greased wire rack in your smoker and allow to smoke with your preferred wood (we use a mixture of hickory, mesquite and apple) at a temperature of 160 degrees F for 3 hours. All smokers behave differently, so this time may vary. The key is to keep your temperature low enough to not dry out the fish. If you start to get too much color on them before they’re done in the center, you can take them out of the smoker and finish them for a couple of minutes in the oven.
Combine smoked catfish and all other dip ingredients in food processor and blend, label date, and refrigerate. This recipe will make about a quart of dip, so there will be plenty left over for snacking! The smoking process provides a certain amount of preservation to the catfish, so this dip will last at least two weeks in the fridge.
MALT VINEGAR CREMA
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine thoroughly. Chill before serving.
CHIPS
Bring the water, vinegar and seasonings to a boil in a medium pot. Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch rounds with the skin on. Add the potatoes to the boiling liquid and cook until they barely begin to get tender (when you can just leave a finger print). Remove the potatoes from the boiling water and place onto a sheet tray with a roasting rack. Place them into the refrigerator until cool. Heat your vegetable oil until it reaches 350 degrees F. Dab the potatoes dry with a paper towel and add them to the hot oil. Cook until you just begin to see light brown on the outside (just a few minutes). Remove from the oil onto the tray with a roasting rack again and refrigerate until cool. Repeat this process again until the potatoes are French Fry tender and crisp on the outside. Toss the potatoes in lemon pepper seasoning while still hot. Spread potatoes out on a sheet tray to cool. While still warm, smear each potato with just enough garlic boursin cheese (preferably at room temperature) to cover the surface. This cheese is quite potent. It’s readily available in the cheese section of most nice grocery stores. If you can’t find it, any goat cheese with herbs would be a nice substitute.
Once the potatoes have cooled enough to not melt the catfish dip, put a light spoonful on each cottage fry and finish with Malt Vinegar Crema, a sprig of fresh dill and a dash of the chile naranja (which you can find at any Mexican market).
Simmons Delta Catfish Rolls by Restaurant Tyler
SERVINGS:
12 Catfish Rolls
Simmons Catfish Bites poached in jalapeño honey butter and served on a warm Hawaiian roll with sweet corn aioli, saffron-infused cucumber and black-eyed pea chow chow, and deep-fried bacon.
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Purchase Catfish
3 lbs Simmons Catfish Fillet Bites (or you may also use Simmons Catfish Fillets cut into 1 oz. pieces).
1 lb of your favorite bacon.
SWEET CORN AIOLI
2 quarts sweet corn (off the cob).
1/2 cup vegetable oil.
1/2 stick butter (unsalted).
1 tablespoon kosher salt.
1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
2 tablespoons garlic (raw, minced).
1 cup muscadine wine.
1 cup mayonnaise.
HONEY JALAPEÑO COMPOUND BUTTER
3 lbs butter (unsalted, room temperature).
2 cups honey.
2 tablespoons kosher salt.
1/2 cup jalpeño juice.
CUCUMBER & BLACK-EYED PEA CHOW CHOW
2 cups black-eyed peas (frozen).
2 cups cucumber (diced, skin-on).
1/4 cup vegetable oil.
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar.
1 quart clam juice.
1 tablespoon garlic (raw, minced).
1/4 cup yellow mustard.
1/2 tablespoon dill weed.
1 tablespoon kosher salt.
1/2 tablespoon black pepper.
1 pinch saffron.
SWEET CORN AIOLI
Lightly toast the sweet corn with the dry spices in oil and butter in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat until the butter starts to brown. Add the raw garlic and once it becomes very fragrant, deglaze the pan with the muscadine wine. Allow the wine to reduce by half volume and remove mixture from the heat. Once room temperature, combine corn mixture in a blender with the mayonnaise until smooth. Store in refrigerator for up to one week.
HONEY JALAPEÑO COMPOUND BUTTER
Combine all ingredients into a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and whip vigorously for two minutes. For best results, make sure the butter is at room temperature, but not melted. We use the juice out of store-bought pickled jalapeno slices for this recipe.
CUCUMBER & BLACK-EYED PEA CHOW CHOW
Sauté the raw garlic in the vegetable oil in a medium sauce pan on medium heat. Once the garlic begins to brown, add the apple cider vinegar, clam juice, black eyed peas, mustard and dried spices except the saffron. Bring this mixture to a low boil and simmer lightly until the peas begin to become tender (no more than 10 minutes, you still want the peas to have a bit of texture). Add the cucumber and the saffron and bring back to a very soft boil for five minutes. Allow mixture to cool before serving. You will want to strain the chow chow just a bit before putting onto the rolld as to avoid making your rolls soggy.
FOR THE ROLLS
We've found the store-bought Hawaiian brand rolls that are shaped sort of rectangular like a hot dog bun work best for this recipe. Slice the bun length-ways and place in the oven for 3 minutes at 350 degrees F before loading up with all of the ingredients.
FRIED BACON
Put several slices of raw bacon (whole) into the deep fryer at 325 degrees F and cook until it is fully cooked and begins to brown. Transfer onto a drip pan to cool until it’s room temperature and crispy.
COOKING THE SIMMONS CATFISH BITES
Melt the compound butter into a medium sauce pan. Once melted, add three pounds of Simmons Catfish Bites (1-1.5 oz each) to the butter and bring to a low boil (you can also use Simmons Catfish Fillets cut into 1 oz pieces). Poach the catfish in the butter until it reaches 165 degrees F internal temperature and it begins to brown around the edges. Drain 3-4 catfish bites (about 4 ounces) with a slotted spoon and transfer to each Hawaiian roll while still hot. Finish with the Sweet Corn Aioli, Chow Chow, and fried bacon!