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Two weeks ago, a few thousand people lined up in a
Columbia, S.C., parking garage for dinner. They wanted some of Lucius
Moultrie’s fried whiting, despite the hearty serving of political
grandstanding on the side. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, who’s also
South Carolina’s most senior Democrat, hosted this classic Southern
fish fry as he’s been doing since 1992. The food is free so that
people might stick around and get a taste of the Democratic flavor of the
month; in this case, it was the merry band of presidential hopefuls,
including Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards, Obama, and Richardson. I knew that I couldn’t be there, so I tracked
down Moultrie, who’s been Clyburn’s fish-fry master since 1999.
In preparation, he ordered 1,200 pounds of fish for the evening, all to be
dredged in his secret-recipe fish breading used in the kitchen at Palmetto
Seafood, the business he runs with his family down the road in Columbia. A
mix of cornmeal and corn flour (which is finer and more pulverized) is the
only clue I could coax from him, but that was enough inspiration to make up
my own fish “breadin’.”
As I heated the oil and dredged my fish minus the egg
wash — “it just takes away from the flavor of the fish”
— I could hear Moultrie’s voice reminding me to “flip it
just once so it don’t break apart.”
For a short little while, with my crispy fillet, hot
sauce, and slice of white bread, I felt Southern — and, I’ve
decided, that’s exactly what I want to be when I grow up.
Culinary questions? Contact Kim O’Donnel at
kim.odonnel@creativeloafing.com.
Fish-Fry Fish 1 cup corn flour 1/2 cup cornmeal 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
At least 1 teaspoon salt and more to taste Black pepper to taste 2 tablespoons cornstarch At least 1 pint (16 ounces) of an oil with a high smoking point, such as peanut or canola
At least 1 pound of fillets of small, inexpensive
fish such as whiting, drum, white perch,
bream, or porgie (or catfish, of course)
In a large, shallow bowl, combine corn flour,
cornmeal, flour, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper and, with a wooden spoon,
stir to combine. Taste flour mixture for salt and heat of spice; you should
be able to detect both. Add cornstarch and stir until well combined. Season the fillets on both sides with salt and
pepper. Have a small bowl of water handy. Dip the
fingers of one hand into water and pat wet fingers onto the fillets,
one at a time, to moisten the fish. With the other hand, dredge the fillet
into the flour mixture and coat it on both sides. Heat the oil in a deep cast-iron skillet or wok until
it reaches 350 degrees. With a pair of tongs, drop the fish into the oil in
small batches. Cook the fish until the bottom edges turn golden, then, with
tongs, turn the fish to the other side. Cook until the second side is
golden, about two minutes. Remove the fish from oil and place it on a
paper-towel-lined plate in a 200-degree oven while you cook the remaining
fish. Serve with Southern fixins of your choice —
hush puppies, slaw, fries — or on a slice of white bread, with hot
sauce.
This article appears in May 10-16, 2007.
