Southern Style Breaded Catfish

This makes for a great catfish meal.
Southern cooks have traditionally
breaded and deep-fried catfish.
I brown the fillet in a skillet to
reduce the amount of fat in the dish.

Ingredients:
4 catfish fillets (about 1 pound)
1/3 cup pecan halves, finely chopped
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 egg whites
Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups hot cooked rice

Directions:
Combine pecans, cornmeal, flour, paprika
and ground red pepper in shallow bowl.
Beat egg whites in bowl until foamy.
Dip catfish fillets in pecan mixture,
then in egg whites and again in any
remaining pecan mixture.
Place fillets on plate; cover
and refrigerate at least 15 minutes.
Spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray;
heat over medium-high heat.
Place catfish fillets in single layer in skillet.
Cook fillets 2 minutes per side or until golden
brown and fillets flake easily when tested with fork.
Serve over rice. Serve with vegetables and garnish.