By The science competition results came in on Friday afternoon and I checked my email at three-fifteen between classes, phone in my pocket, and had to stop walking for a moment in the hallway. First place. Louisiana Student Environmental Science Competition, eleventh-grade division. First place.
I stood in the hallway for a minute with students moving past me and thought about ninth grade, about the second-place result and MawMaw's one day of disappointment instruction, about the year in between when COVID cancelled the competition, about the three weeks I had spent on this paper. The paper had been right. I had known while writing it that it was the best science writing I had done. Knowing something before the confirmation is its own form of clarity.
I texted Mr. Guidry first — he had mentored this paper more than any teacher had mentored any work of mine, and he deserved to know before I celebrated. He responded in four minutes: "Of course. Congratulations. First of many." Then I called MawMaw Shirley, who said a sound that was pure Louisiana joy and then said, "Now you have it." I called Daddy. He was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "My daughter." Two words. That weight I described once before. It never changes. I hope it never changes.
I made celebration food that evening: shrimp and grits, my best version, with the stone-ground grits and the andouille shrimp sauce and the cast iron work I had been perfecting for two years. Mama set the table with candles for no reason she could name. Daddy poured sparkling grape juice into the wine glasses we used for special occasions. We said grace together and Daddy said something about gratitude and hard work and love, and it was the best dinner of the year in a year that had had several contenders.
Shrimp and grits was my celebration dish that evening, but the recipe I keep coming back to — the one that lives underneath all my Southern cooking instincts — is the fried fish I learned watching the women in my family work a cast iron skillet like it was second nature. When Daddy said “my daughter” and Mama lit candles for no reason she could name, what I felt was exactly what this dish carries: something passed down, something earned, something that tastes like home on its best day. This is the version I make when the table needs to feel like a occasion.
Mom’s Fried Fish
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs catfish fillets (or whiting), cut into serving pieces
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- Vegetable oil, for frying (about 2 cups)
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Soak the fish. Place fish pieces in a shallow dish. Pour buttermilk and hot sauce over the fish, turning to coat. Let soak for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the coating.
- Make the dredge. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and cayenne until evenly combined.
- Heat the oil. Pour vegetable oil into a large cast iron skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F, or until a pinch of cornmeal sizzles immediately on contact.
- Coat the fish. Lift each piece of fish from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, then press firmly into the cornmeal mixture, coating all sides evenly. Shake off any loose coating.
- Fry in batches. Carefully lay coated fish pieces into the hot oil without crowding the pan. Fry for 4–5 minutes per side, until deep golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 145°F.
- Drain and rest. Transfer fried fish to a wire rack set over a baking sheet (not paper towels, to keep the crust crisp). Season lightly with a pinch of salt while still hot.
- Serve. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and your choice of hot sauce, coleslaw, or greens alongside.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 420 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 30g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 680mg