Palace Café in New Orleans.

Catfish Filets:

6 catfish filets, 5 to 7 ounces each

3 cups roasted pecans

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 cup seasoned flour (season with salt, black and red peppers)

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

Creole seasoning blend

Olive oil

Chopped parsley

Meuniere Sauce:

3 lemons, peeled and quartered

7 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons Crystal hot sauce

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (UK: single cream)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Preparing the meuniere sauce: In a large sauté pan combine the lemons, hot sauce,

Worcestershire sauce and whipping cream. Blend with a wire whisk over medium heat,

stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes. As you stir, press gently on the lemon quarters to

slowly release the juices. Slowly add the butter by pinching off a little bit at a time and

squeezing it through your fingers into the sauce pan, stirring constantly (this is called

mounting the butter). As you add the last of the butter, remove from heat and continue to

stir. Taste, then season with salt and pepper. Strain through a fine strainer. The sauce is

now ready to serve; cover and keep warm.

Preparing the catfish filets: Trim the fat and any rough edges off the catfish filets. Lightly

season with Creole seasoning; place in refrigerator.

Grind 2-1/2 cups of the pecans and the bread crumbs together in a food processor. Place

in a shallow pan or plate and set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, make an egg wash by combining the 3 beaten eggs and 1/2 cup

of milk. Set up a standard breading station on your table or counter top. Bread filets by

first coating them with the seasoned flour, then placing each in the egg wash and then

finally pressing each into the ground pecan/bread crumb mixture, making sure the entire

filet is coated well. Refrigerate if you're unable to fry them immediately.

Using a large skillet or sauté pan, cover the bottom with olive oil, and heat. Gently place

the fish into the hot oil. Cook until lightly brown, turn fish and repeat. If fish isn't cooked

all the way through, place in a shallow baking pan in a 450 degrees F oven for about 5 minutes.