Name: Fried Catfish with Bacon Green Beans
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 6 slices bacon, chopped; 1 pound green beans, trimmed; 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes; 1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided; ¾ teaspoon pepper, divided; ¼ cup buttermilk; 1 tablespoon Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce; 2 (10- to 12-ounce) skinless catfish fillets, cut in half lengthwise; 1½ cups fine-grind yellow cornmeal; ½ cup vegetable oil for frying

Why This Recipe Works

Shaking the catfish fillets with the buttermilk mixture and cornmeal in a plastic bag made for quick and easy cleanup.

Before You Begin

Serve with lemon wedges.

Instructions

Cook bacon in large saucepan over medium-high heat until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add green beans, tomatoes and their juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cover; reduce heat to medium; and cook, stirring occasionally, until green beans are tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine buttermilk, hot sauce, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper in large zipper-lock bag. Add catfish, seal bag, and turn to coat. Add cornmeal to bag, seal bag, and shake to coat.

Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add catfish to skillet and fry until cooked through and coating is golden brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes, flipping catfish halfway through frying. Transfer catfish to paper towel–lined plate. Serve catfish with green beans.