a lil' story 'bout a catfish wing...

This sounds like one of those colloquial tales that begins something like, "way down yonder on the Chattahoochie," but it's not.  The catfish wing is something that I've dreamed of making for quite some time.  Ever since Alex at Ideas in Food first fused a chicken skin to a piece of fish (at least the first time I'd ever seen the use of TGM), the seed of that dream was planted.  Why?  Because I'm a South Louisiana boy, and the idea of a fried catfish with chicken skin sounded like the ultimate in Southern food... a symbol of all that's good in the world.

Actually, I would wager that the transglutanimase isn't totally necessary to create the catfish wing (although I used it as insurance).  All you really need are some chicken wing bones, some catfish, some chicken skin, and a freezer.

First, get some wing bones by taking the meat off, cooking to scrape off all of the meat and cartilage, and boiling or baking to get the bones real nice and clean.  If you plan on eating the end product yourself, then cook up some wings, eat them, and reserve the bones.

Save a few 3 inch by 3 inch pieces of chicken skin and lay each one down on a slightly bigger pieces of plastic wrap.  As for the meat glue, sprinkle it if you've got it.

Next, slice some fairly thin pieces of catfish and lay the pieces over each chicken skin.  Apply more transglutanimase if you've got it.

 

Place the socket-end of the wing bone in the center of the catfish, and close the fish and skin around it and seal with the plastic wrap by twisting it around the bone.

 

 

The next step is to freeze the wings.  Once frozen into shape, remove the plastic wrapping.

 

While frozen, bread the wings using a seasoned flour (I use salt, cayenne pepper, granulated onion, granulated garlic, paprika), eggwash, and back to the flour.  The wings can then be held in the freezer until showtime (or half-time).

 

Be sure to fully coat the entire wing with the breading (bone and all).  This will help to hold the shape when cooking... especially if you are not using Activa.

 

Fry it up (10 to 12 minutes at 350-60ºF to golden brown)!

 

Voila... served with white beans and mustard (true Cajun style).  Even New Orleanians won't know what I'm talking about when I mention putting yellow mustard on top of white beans.  That's a true bayou thing.  People in the city won't know about that.

 

That's my story... a true legend come to reality.  It may not be the coolest thing in the world to most, but it was a dream fulfilled for me.  I can check it off my bucket list.  I would love to be able to make about 500 of these (as our F&B director requested), but it is quite a process.  The method (although time-consuming) has all of the coolness and simplicity of a Michel Richard recipe.  Chefs always say that meat on the bone tastes better than without... in this example, the truth still holds.

Comments

[Larry P.]

"It may not be the coolest thing in the world to most"

Maybe not, but it's way up there close to the top for me. I think I'm going to have to add it to the "things to do that Chad has done" list. I already did your tootsie roll bbq sauce, loved that one.

[Jacob]

No, I'd have to say it's about the coolest thing ever. Sure, it doesn't have the panache of some of the more wild techniques, but come on; cat fish wrapped with chicken skin, put on a bone so no utensils are required and deep fried. The genius is in it's simplicity.

[foodplayer]

I'm not a huge fan of catfish (please don't hurt/hate me), but these would make me an instant convert.
What's up with mustard and white beans?

[david]

very clever.....something urks me about saving your old chicken bones after eating them during halftime of a football game though.... its just the way you worded it.. very clever, i think there can be many ideas sparked off of this.

[chadzilla]

Thanks, everyone.
Just for the record, David. I only suggest using 'eaten' bones if you are the one eating the end result... I would definitely not serve someone chicken bones that I munched on.
Linda, I respect your dislike of catfish. For me it's the best fish in the world, but only when it is fished from the south Louisiana bayous and lakes. Something about that perfect muddy water that makes the most flavorable pre-marinade for the fillets. I guess it's just in my blood. The same goes for the white beans with yellow mustard. It is a total coonass thing. Just try it. A nice plate of white beans with rice and squirt some French's yellow over the top, mix, and eat. I've never convinced anyone to try it that hasn't loved it.

[syoung68]

Coon asses do some crazy shit. I have a cousin that not only puts mustard on white beans, but mayo on red bean and rice.

Chad, being a fellow Louisiana boy, I think this IS genius. I want to eat 50 of these.

[Lori]

Sorry, but this is very-very perverse. I feel the dead, the perverse dead. Cruel, sad, unbelievable food. I'am sad. Sorry.