In a small pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add orzo and toast until golden and fragrant for about two to four minutes. Add chicken stock and cook with the lid on over medium-high heat for about 12 minutes. Don’t worry if it’s a little more al dente than you’d expect because it will finish in the sauce.
Pour the cooked orzo directly into the large pot with tomato sauce and give a good stir. It should have some thickness where you slide a spoon through the middle of the pot and there is a
line separation that’s slow to return. Add a few splashes of water if it’s a little too thick. Keep
warm.
Add cornmeal, corn flour and creole seasoning to a grocery store bag or a regular bowl for you fancy people. Remove the filets from the ziplock bag, and discard the buttermilk. Place catfish on a large plate, season with salt and pepper to taste, a few sprinkles of creole seasoning and slather all over with yellow mustard. Place filets in the grocery store bag and shake to coat. Remove filets and place on a platter or plate and let the fish rest for a few minutes before frying so that breading may adhere.
Meanwhile, in a heavy bottom frying pan and/or cast iron pan, add enough cooking oil to reach ¾ to ½ the way up the pan. Heat oil over medium heat. Allow the oil to get nice and hot. Unless you have an oil thermometer, the easiest way to test is by sprinkling cornmeal mixture into the oil. If it’s sizzling, it’s ready.
Depending on the size of your fry pan and fish filets, you will add one to two filets at a time. Don’t
overcrowd! It’ll not only cause grease to rise and splatter, but it will lower your temperature and not allow for crispy fish! Cook each filet for about three to five minutes per side (depending on if you like yours fried hard or not). Place fish on a wire rack or paper towel. Sprinkle with a little salt and lemon pepper, straight out of the grease so it’ll adhere. Serve hot.

National-Catfish-Month

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