Howard Test Kitchen: March 8, 2013

We all have those classic meals that we love to order when we go out. You know, one of my favorites, is fish 'n' chips. And do you know why I order it when I go out?  Because I don't like deep frying fish at home. So today I'm gonna share with you the secret to making this dish easier and more affordable than ever.  We start with 4 large Idaho potatoes that we cut into wedges and toss 'em with a bit of oil and a few seasonings. Now we spread 'em on a baking sheet, and we'll bake 'em off in a 450-degree oven so they'll get nice and crispy. Ok, while those bake, we'll make our fish. Now we dip our fish into some melted butter, and then into a mixture we threw together that is simply some cornmeal, salt, pepper, and instant potato flakes. Yeah, instant potato flakes. And we'll pan fry it in a touch of oil - takes just minutes. And instead of using cod or haddock (like the British do), we discovered after testing and retesting that U.S. Farm Raised Catfish works great in recipes like this.    It has a delicate yet firm texture that holds up really well when we pan fry it. Once it's golden and flakes easily, we remove it to a platter lined with paper towels. Just look at the delicate crispy texture. And when we serve this mild-tasting catfish with our homemade potato wedges, get ready for some finger-licking' pub grub. Look, the recipe for "Potato Crusted Fish and Chips" is online now so you can enjoy a British-inspired pub classic - without the hassle. I'm Howard from the Mr. Food Test Kitchen, where every day we're finding an easier way for you to say ... "OOH IT'S SO GOOD!!"