This recipe can be used for a main meal or as an appetizer.
1-1/2 lb. crappie fillets, cut into 1 to 2-bite pieces or nuggets
2-1/3 cups self-rising corn meal
2 cups buttermilk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 medium onion, finely diced
5 “mini” red or yellow peppers or ½ large red pepper, finely diced
¼ tsp. garlic salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying.
Plenty of paper towels
Wash, drain, and completely pat dry the fish nuggets
with paper towels. Put the nuggets on additional paper towels and set aside.
Using a large mixing bowl, mix the cornmeal with the buttermilk; then add the oil and mix well. Beat in the eggs
until the mixture is very well blended.
Add the onions, peppers, garlic salt, and black pepper; blend thoroughly. Then, stir the fish nuggets into the batter to coat the fish completely.
Before beginning to fry, line a large baking pan with paper towel for draining the fried fish nuggets and cornbread patties. Place the pan in a handy location near the frying skillet.
Have a long-handled pair of tongs available to “fish” (pun intended) the nuggets out the batter.
Using a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil on high. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, begin adding the fish nuggets from the batter. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the nuggets are lightly browned and the fish is done. When all of the fish nuggets are “fished” from the batter, then begin to drop heaping tablespoons of the remaining batter into the hot oil to make fried cornbread patties. Drain fish nuggets and fried cornbread patties on the pan with the paper towels and blot the tops with additional paper towels.
Serves: 4 to 8.
