- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 1/4 lb catfish fillets, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-wide strips
- About 8 cups vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (not coarse)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained, and chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- Accompaniment: lemon wedges
- Special equipment: a deep-fat thermometer
- Whisk together egg and hot sauce in a wide shallow dish. Stir in fish strips and let stand at room temperature at least 10 and up to 30 minutes.
- Pour enough oil into a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot to measure 2 inches and heat over moderate heat until thermometer registers 350°F.
- Stir together flour, cornmeal, salt, and Cajun seasoning in another wide shallow dish.
- Stir together all sauce ingredients in a bowl and chill, covered, until ready to serve.
- Drain fish well in a colander. Dredge one fourth of fish in flour mixture, shaking off excess, then transfer to oil and fry, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon, until golden and just cooked through, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Return oil to 350°F. Repeat procedure with remaining fish strips in 3 batches.
- Serve fish tenders hot with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
- Available for order: BlueChef (), The Spice Hunter (800-444-3016), and Mc Cormick ().