The Catfish Royal Cut is a special piece – firm, succulent, and with a surprisingly delicate texture. Unlike many wild catfish, our locally farmed catfish does not have an earthy taste but impresses with clarity and elegance. In this recipe, we combine it with classic Swiss winter flavors: celeriac, apple, hazelnut, and browned butter. A dish that is easy to prepare yet achieves restaurant quality.
Ingredients (for 4 people)
Fish
- 4 Catfish Royal Cut fillets with skin (approx. 200 g each)
- Salt
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
Celeriac cream
- 1 large celeriac (approx. 700–900 g)
- 120 ml full-fat cream
- 40 g butter
- Salt
Garnish
- 1 tart apple (e.g., Topaz, Boskoop, or Braeburn)
- 60 g hazelnuts
Browned butter
- 100 g butter
Preparation
1. Prepare the celeriac cream
Peel the celeriac and cut it into even cubes. Boil in lightly salted water for about 20 minutes until tender enough to be easily pierced with a knife.
Drain the water and purée the hot celeriac finely with cream and butter. Season with salt. The consistency should be creamy and smooth. Keep warm.
2. Roast the hazelnuts
Roughly chop the hazelnuts and toast them in a dry pan over medium heat until golden brown and fragrant. Set aside.
This step enhances the nutty flavors and adds additional depth to the dish.
3. Prepare the apple
Cut the apple into fine cubes. The skin can be left on for extra color and flavor. The apple's fresh acidity balances the creamy celeriac cream and the browned butter.
4. Brown the butter
Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Continue to heat until it turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma. Once ready, remove from the heat.
Do not let it get too dark.
5. Fry the catfish
Pat the fillets dry with kitchen paper. Lightly salt the skin side.
Heat a non-stick or stainless steel pan and add the rapeseed oil. Place the catfish in the pan with the skin side down. Reduce the heat slightly and slowly fry the fish for 4–8 minutes until the skin is crispy.
Briefly flip the fish and cook for another 30–60 seconds until done.
The core should remain juicy and translucent.
Serving
Spoon the celeriac cream onto the plate as a base. Place the Catfish Royal Cut on top. Scatter apple cubes and roasted hazelnuts loosely over it.
Finally, drizzle the browned butter over the fish and cream.
Serve immediately.
Taste and character
This dish thrives on the interplay of textures and flavors:
- crispy skin and succulent catfish
- creamy, warm celeriac cream
- roasted hazelnuts for depth
- fresh apple for contrast
- browned butter for elegance and richness
A winter dish that perfectly highlights the character of the Catfish Royal Cut.
Tip from the LocalFish Team
The Catfish Royal Cut is ideal for this preparation, as its firm texture and delicate skin are particularly well showcased when fried. It is important to fry the fish slowly on the skin side so that it becomes evenly crispy.
