People can choose to give up anything for Lent from chocolate to cursing, but the most common fast is from red meat. Chicago has a large Catholic population, therefore, there will be plenty of places that will ease the period from Ash Wednesday to Easter by offering seafood specials.
Bonefish Grill is offering hand-battered cod and panko-battered crispy shrimp with french fries, coleslaw and tartar, and cocktail sauces. All this for only $19 on Fridays through April 8.
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! will be rotating Friday specials throughout Lent. On March 3 they offered mussels and noodles. On March 10, there will be seared hake and melted greens.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill put out new menu items before Lent, including linguine tossed in champagne cream sauce with shrimp, red bell peppers, and sauteed mushrooms.
Epic Burger is offering a fish sandwich for $9. It is made with IPA-battered cod, lettuce, pickles, and tartar sauce.
‘Lil Ba-Ba-Reeba! offers seafood tapas including roasted branzino with tomato salad and Spanish sardine conserves are available daily from March 2 through April 14.
Mac’s Wood Grill from March 2 through April 15 has beer-battered whitefish, for $13 or a fish sandwich on a potato bun for $14.
Osteria Via Stato has a signature seafood stew that includes tomato broth, scallops, shrimp, fish and is served with ciabatta garlic bread for $24 on Fridays.
On Ash Wednesday or Fridays through April 14 dine-in at Shaw’s Crab House. The Schaumburg location is offering a three-course meal. This meal includes clam chowder, fish and chips, and a piece of key lime pie for $27. For $65 the whole family can enjoy a quart of clam chowder, eight pieces of beer-battered Atlantic cod, french fries, coleslaw, and a chocolate cake, or for $95 the family can eat crab cakes, caesar salad, and creamed spinach.
Tuman’s Tap & Grill is cooking up some beer-battered cod and hand-cut fries for $16 on Fridays from 4-11 p.m. Additionally, on Wednesdays, Tuman’s will be rotating a selection of seasonal beers through Lent.
Southern-Inspired Catfish Recipe
Serves 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients: Scallion Tartar Sauce
3/4 c. mayonnaise
5 thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts only
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 T. chopped capers
1 T. chopped dill pickles
1 T. dill pickle juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fried Catfish
Vegetable oil for frying
2 C. buttermilk
3 T. hot sauce
4 boneless catfish fillets
3 C. flour
2 C. yellow cornmeal
2T. Old Bay seasoning
Kosher salt
Instructions for Tartar Sauce:
In a medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, scallions, lemon juice, capers, pickles, and pickle juice. Add salt and pepper for taste.
Instructions for Catfish:
In a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 350 degrees over medium-high heat. Alternatively, heat the oil to 350 degrees in a deep fryer following the manufacturer’s directions.
Line a large plate or platter with paper towels.
While the oil is heating, whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce in a large bowl. Add the catfish and let soak for 15 minutes.
Then, combine the flour, cornmeal, Old Bay, and 2 tablespoons salt in a second large bowl.
Remove the catfish from the buttermilk, drain off any excess liquid and transfer to the flour mixture. Thoroughly coat the catfish on all sides, tap off the excess flour, and place onto a second large plate.
Once the oil is hot, fry the catfish 2 fillets at a time, until the fish has cooked through and the breading is crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. Repeat with the remaining catfish. Serve hot alongside the scallion tartar sauce.
Recipe Notes:
Try to source domestic, farm-raised catfish and avoid anything imported from overseas. Catfish fillets can range in size dramatically, so the fish may take up to 10 minutes to fry.
Texas Pete hot sauce and Duke’s Mayonnaise are preferred for this recipe.
Written by Jeanette Vietti
Sources:
Chicago Tribune: 9 seafood-focused specials around Chicago to help you get through Lent; by Samantha Nelson
USA Today: Try this easy fish fry recipe for Lent
Urban Matter: The Best Lent-Friendly Restaurants in Chicago; by Samantha Quero
Featured Image Courtesy of stu_spivack’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
