Cruelty Free Catfish

I think I am in heaven! Now I can have my *catfish* and eat it, too!

A few weeks ago, my kids and I had lunch at a local, new vegan deli. Located in a somewhat rundown part of town, well hidden in an oddly placed shopping center, it has no permanent sign, just a banner announcing their location. We entered, however, with high hopes, but still a little wary. The place was virtually unadorned, with very simple decor, a counter and a kitchen. We picked up a menu and sat down to see what we might discover. We settled upon breaded tofu, Hebrew fries and fried mushrooms. The lady behind the counter was very friendly and took our order. She had to make a grocery store run because they'd run out of mushrooms. We waited.

The cook brought the food out after a not considerable wait, all things considered. No frills, no fancy garnishes, just exactly what we ordered - breaded tofu, Hebrew fries and fried mushrooms. We took our first bite.

OMG! I can honestly say it was the best tofu I had ever had! The flavor, the consistency, it was totally yummy! I still don't know what Hebrew fries are, other than seasoned fries, but they were good. I always love fried mushrooms, so nothing more need be said about them.

We paid for our food, told the cashier we thought it was wonderful and we would be back. We will be back, that is certain. I want to try some other dishes.

Of course, being me, this made me want to recreate the tofu at home. It reminded me very much of catfish that my mom made when I was younger and not a vegan, so I looked for a recipe. I'm pretty sure my mom bought a mix, but can't remember what it was called. So, I settled with making my own. Here it is:

Vegan Catfish

1 pkg. of tofu, frozen in its package, boiled until thawed, pressed and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1-1/2 cups yellow organic cornmeal
2 T. creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's)
Soy milk
Oil to fry

Heat about oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile mix the creole seasoning and corn meal together. Dip each tofu steak in the soy milk, then in the cornmeal mixture. Fry in hot oil until golden brown on both sides.

Serve with tartar sauce, if you like.

Scrumptious! I'll be whipping this up often!