Fried catfish

1 pound of catfish fillets, cut into inch-wide strips
1 cup of yellow cornmeal
2 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying

Salt and pepper fillets and let warm to room temperature.Heat up about three-inches of oil in an iron skillet or a Dutch oven.

Beat eggs and milk together in a bowl.
Put cornmeal on a plate.
Dip fillets in egg-milk mixture and then dredge in cornmeal, covering both sides.

Place battered fish into hot oil and cook four minutes, turning once.Drain on a paper-towel lined plate.Serves four.

Hush puppies

3/4 cup of yellow corn meal
1/3 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of milk or buttermilk
1 egg
2 teaspoons of bacon drippings (optional)
1 jalapeno pepper, stems and seeds removed, finely diced
1/3 cup of diced onions

Mix together all ingredients.
In batches, cook tablespoon-sized balls of dough in hot oil, until crisp and golden brown (about two minutes).
Makes about 20 hush puppies.

Chipotle-lime mayonnaise

2 chipotles in adobo chopped
1 teaspoon of lime juice
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of cilantro, chopped.

Mix all ingredients together. Can add more chipotles for extra smokey heat.