Pan-fried Catfish Cakes

This recipe transforms fried catfish leftovers into a plate of tasty pan-fried catfish cakes. Serve them alongside a creamy white Come Back sauce for an unforgettable seafood meal.

Ingredients

Cakes

• 1 sleeve premium saltine crackers
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup finely diced onion
• ¼ cup finely diced yellow bell pepper

¼ cup chopped scallions

• 8 fried catfish fillets
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 4 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup olive oil

Come Back Sauce

• 1 tablespoon grated onion (use the large

holes on a box grater)

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon prepared chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cakes

1. In a food processor, grind the crackers to crumbs and pour into a shallow bowl.
2. In a medium cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper,

and scallions and cook, stirring, until tender.

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2. In a medium bowl, with your fingers or the back of a fork, mash the leftover catfish fillets into
3. bits. Add the beaten eggs, Tabasco, and Worcestershire and season to taste with salt and
4. pepper. Add the onion mixture and blend well. Pat the catfish mixture into disks about 2 ½
5. inches wide and 1 ½ inches thick. Gently dredge the cakes in the cracker crumbs, coating

well on both sides.

1. Gradually heat a 12 Inch Skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Gently place the
2. catfish cakes in the hot skillet and cook them until golden brown on both sides (you may
3. need to do this in 2 batches). Drain on a paper bag and serve with Come Back Sauce.

Come Back Sauce

1. In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients together. If it is too thick to drizzle, add 1
2. tablespoon water to thin. It will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, about 2 weeks.

Notes

From the Lodge Cast Iron cookbook I picked up during my visit to the Lodge Museum of Cast Iron in South Pittsburg, Tennessee (June 2026). Contributed by Elizabeth Heiskell. Recommended cookware: 12 Inch Cast Iron.