Ohhhhh man…. So I’ve been telling you guys how much I’ve missed my dad’s side of the family and their good southern cooking. I (shamefully) haven’t been to New Orleans since I was a kid, so I’ve been relegated to recreating the city’s amazing flavors on my own (or migrating to Daddy’s house- or Nana’s- to partake). These, however, are my own spin on the classic New Orleans Po’ Boys that I made more traditionally not too long ago. They were so good, we had to make them again. This time, Italian style (crostini) and with beautiful catfish steaks… and bacon.
So remember how I told you that my loving husband does not, in fact, like bacon? Well… I quote “THIS IS THE BEST FISH EVER!!! WHAT DID YOU PUT ON IT?!?!” Answer? Bacon fat. Muahahahahahaaa!!! I fried the bacon up in out trusty cast iron skillet and used the pan drippings to get a beautiful brown crust on the outside of the catfish before finishing them off in the oven (they were pretty thick). Anthony still won’t admit to liking pork bacon, but we all know the truth.
As for this crostini… I tried my hand at homemade baguettes and, while they were pretty tasty, their texture was more pretzelish than baguetteish, so I’m going to try again before posting that recipe (I don’t think I let it rise long enough…). Gotta make sure it’s legit! In the meantime, grab one from your favorite bakery and get to slicin’!
Now you see this right down here? It is 100% ok to stop right here. It won’t be a po’ boy, but man is it delicious! The bite of the garlic mixed with the slight sweetness of the scallions and saltiness of the bacon topped with the dreamy creaminess of the mozzarella… Unbelievable. I definitely ate a couple of these as-is while the catfish was still in the oven…
But then again, when you top it all off with that crispy, flaky, garlicky, salty catfish, it just sends these crostini over the edge of amazing. Forget an appetizer. Totally made these my whole dinner. And would happily do so again! Your turn!
- 1lb catfish fillets
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 baguette
- 6 strips center cut pork bacon
- 2 scallions
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 garlic clove
- Olive oil
- Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F and heating a large, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Once hot, fry your bacon. When cooked through and crispy, remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off any excess fat. Leave the drippings in the pan and start seasoning your fish.
- Pat the catfish dry with a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper, on both sides. In a small bowl, mix flour (about ½ cup) with about 1 tablespoon of garlic powder (or to taste), stirring to combine. Dredge the catfish in the flour mixture, making sure it's evenly coated on all sides. Place the catfish in the pan and fry in the bacon drippings until browned and crispy on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- When the catfish is golden brown on both sides, take the pan off the stove and carefully slide it onto the middle-bottom rack of your oven for the catfish to cook through, about 15 minutes.
- While the catfish bakes, prep your crostini. Slice the baguette diagonally into 1-inch thick slices and arrange the slices on a baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil and slide them onto the middle-top rack of the oven, above the catfish. Bake for about 5-7 minutes or until lightly golden brown and toasty.
- Remove the crostini from the oven and peel one garlic clove. Rub the garlic on each slice of crostini while hot, to infuse the garlic flavor into the bread. Then, top the crostini with mozzarella, bacon and scallions, using as much as you like and can get to fit! Once topped, put the crostini back into the oven for another 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- By now, your catfish should be done. Use a fork or spatula to flake the fillets apart and top each slice of crostini with some catfish. Let it cool just enough so you don't burn yourself, and devour.