4 pounds catfish nuggets
8 ounces orange juice
4 ounces VSOP brandy
1 tablespoon tarragon
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
3 peeled garlic cloves
9-by-12-inch glass casserole dish
Double boiler with strainer insert
Paper towels
2 pounds sliced Virginia bacon
Sharp chef’s knife
Toothpicks
Broiler pan

Coating mix:
Shallow baking dish
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh-ground mixed peppercorns
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 cup crushed ginger snaps

Ranch dip mix:
16 ounces plain yogurt
8 ounces grated pepper Jack cheese
1 tablespoon chicken soup base crystals
2 tablespoons Tapa Ti’o or Crystal’s hot sauce
1 package ranch dip mix
3 quart glass mixing bowl
4 red bell peppers
4 green bell peppers
Paring knife

Mix 8 ounces of orange juice with 4 ounces of VSOP brandy, the tarragon, parsley flakes and peeled garlic cloves in a 9-by-12-inch glass casserole dish. Toss the catfish nuggets in the spiced, brandied orange juice mixture until well-coated. Refrigerate for two to three hours to allow the juice to soak into the catfish, advises Jim Tarantino, author of “Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures and Glazes.”

Place a strainer insert in the double boiler and strain all the marinade into the pan. Allow the catfish nuggets to drain in the strainer for at least 10 minutes. Blot the catfish nuggets dry on paper towels and lay them on a platter lined with additional paper towels. 

Bring the marinade to a rolling boil on medium-high heat. Allow the marinade to boil for five full minutes before removing the pan from the heat. Allow the boiled marinade to return to room temperature over the next 15 minutes before refrigerating it until ready to use.

Place the bacon in the freezer for ten minutes to make it easier to slice. Slice the bacon strips in half, using a sharp chef’s knife.

Wash the glass casserole dish in a sink of hot water with a teaspoon of bleach and dry it with paper towels. Mix the all-purpose flour, fresh-ground mixed peppercorns, onion powder, granulated garlic and crushed ginger snaps together in the clean, dry baking dish. Dredge each catfish nugget in the coating mix.

Wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around each catfish nugget and secure it with a toothpick.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of a broiler pan with aluminum foil and put the top piece in position. Arrange the bacon-wrapped catfish nuggets on broiler pan, 1/2-inch apart.

Bake the bacon-wrapped catfish nuggets for 10 to 12 minutes, as recommended by the Catfish Institute. Lower heat to 375 degrees and bake for another 8 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the catfish is flaky and white.

Mix the Neufchatel or cream cheese, grated pepper Jack cheese, chicken soup base crystals, Tapa Ti’o or Crystal’s hot sauce and the ranch dip mix in a 3-quart glass mixing bowl until well-blended. Add the chilled, boiled marinade and stir again until well-blended.

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Slice the tops off the red and green bell peppers. Slice each pepper in half from stem to tip and remove the seeds and as much white pith as you can, using a paring knife. Chop the tops of the peppers and add them to the dip.

Fill each pepper half with about 2 ounces of dip. Serve 1/4-pound of bacon-wrapped catfish nuggets per person with 1 half-pepper filled with dip and 1/4-pound of waffle fries or onion rings on the side.

Serves 16.

References:

“Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures and Glazes”; Jim Tarantino; 1992

The Catfish Institute: Crispy Baked Catfish Nuggets

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