Catfish Tacos

From Chef George W. Brown, Jr., Seventeen Seventeen, Dallas.

When George W. Brown, Jr., was named one of the best new chefs in America by Food and Wine in May, he immediately put his Texas heart on his sleeve. “I wanted to play up the Lone Star State angle for the article that appeared in the magazine,” says the 31-year-old executive chef of Seventeen Seventeen, the modish restaurant at the Dallas Museum of Art (1717 N. Harwood). One of the dishes he prepared was Texanized fish tacos, consisting of crisp masa-harina-breaded catfish, warm flour tortillas spread with roasted-jalapeño remoulade, and irresistible fresh creamed corn spiked with tequila. Open your mouth and say, “Y’all.”

Seventeen Seventeen’s Catfish Tacos

Roasted-Jalapeño Remoulade
1⁄2 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
20 leaves cilantro, finely chopped
1 medium fresh jalapeño, roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
juice of 1 Mexican lime
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate but bring to room temperature to serve.

Lettuce and Red Cabbage
11⁄2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded
11⁄2 cups red cabbage, shredded
juice of 2 Mexican limes
kosher salt to taste

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate.

Tequila Creamed Corn
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon butter
2 1⁄2 cups raw corn kernels
1⁄4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1⁄8 cup tequila
3⁄4 cup whipping cream
1⁄2 scallion, finely cut on the diagonal
1⁄4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon Mexican lime juice
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt

Over medium heat sauté garlic and shallot in butter until translucent. Add corn and bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze pan with tequila (do not remove corn mixture). Then add cream, reducing until it starts to thicken. Add last 4 ingredients and remove from heat.

Fried Catfish
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1⁄4 cup masa harina
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1⁄2 pounds farm-raised catfish filets, cut in
4- by 3⁄4-inch strips
2 cups buttermilk
canola oil for frying
16 flour tortillas, warmed

Mix first 4 ingredients together. Dip catfish strips in buttermilk (draining off excess), sprinkle with cornmeal mixture, and fry over medium heat until golden brown. Drain and keep warm. To assemble, spread remoulade on warm tortillas and top with lettuce mixture and catfish. Fold or roll into tacos and serve with tequila creamed corn. Serves 8.