straighten up fry right

Grab your skillet, and celebrate the South's favorite way to cook.

If our region's famous for one cooking method, it's frying. And with good reason. Southerners are all about attaching emotion to their food, and nothing stirs feelings of comfort and nostalgia like frying. There's just something to be said about the crispy, goldenbrown crust of a fried catfish fillet or the tender inside of an apple fritter. Is your mouth watering yet?

If you're new to frying, follow our tips and suggestions so you'll man the stove like an old pro.

DELTA-STYLE FRIED CATFISH

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

PREP: 20 MIN., CHILL: 8 HRS.,

STAND: 10 MIN., FRY: 4 MIN. PER BATCH

1 ½ cups milk

2 to 3 drops hot sauce

6 (4- to 6-ounce) catfish fillets

¾ cup yellow cornmeal

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground red pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Vegetable oil

WHISK together milk and hot sauce. Place catfish fillets in a single layer in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish; cover with milk mixture. Cover and chill 8 hours, turning once.

COMBINE cornmeal and next 5 ingredients in a shallow dish, and set aside.

LET catfish fillets stand at room temperature in milk mixture in baking dish 10 minutes. Remove fillets from milk mixture, allowing excess to drip off.

DREDGE catfish fillets in cornmeal mixture, shaking off excess.

POUR oil to a depth of 1 ½ inches into a large, deep cast-iron or heavy-duty skillet; heat to 360°. Fry fillets, in batches, 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack on a paper towel-lined jellyroll pan. Keep warm in a 225° oven until ready to serve. JACK PERKINS

ISOLA, MISSISSIPPI

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

The recipes for this story use one of two basic frying methods-pan-frying or deep-frying.

* Pan-Fry: Items are usually breaded (a dry mixture) or battered (a combination of liquid and flour or starch), and cooked in enough oil-about ½ inch deep-to create a layer of fat between the items being cooked and the pan (example: chicken-fried steak, fried pork chops). Foods should be turned only once.

* Deep-Fry: Items are usually breaded or battered and cooked in enough oil to completely submerge the item (such as hush puppies or beignets). Items are allowed to float to the surface and may be gently turned once for even browning.

CHICKEN-AND-MASHED POTATO FRITTERS WITH LIME-CAYENNE MAYONNAISE

MAKES ABOUT 8 APPETIZER SERVINGS

PREP: 20 MIN., COOK: 20 MIN., CHILL: 1 HR., FRY: 2 MIN. PHR PATCh

1 pound russet or Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut Into 2-inch pieces

2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 large egg, lightly beaten

¼ cup sour cream

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon grated lemon rind

2/3 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs

Vegetable oil

Lime-Cayenne Mayonnaise

BRING potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and water to cover to a boil in a small saucepan. Cook 20 minutes or until tender; drain and mash potatoes.

STIR together mashed potatoes, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, chicken, and next 7 ingredients. Chill mixture 1 hour. Shape into 1 ¾-inch balls.

PLACE dry breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Roll balls in breadcrumbs, coating evenly.

POUR oil to a depth of 4 inches into a Dutch oven; heat to 370°. Fry fritters, in batches, 2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on wire racks over paper towels, and serve immediately. Serve with Lime-Cavenne Mayonnaise.

BUDDY WEST

CUMMING, GEORGIA

Lime-Cayenne Mayonnaise:

MAKES ½ CUP

PREP: 5 MIN.

½ cup mayonnaise

½ teaspoon grated lime rind

¼ teaspoon ground red pepper

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

STIR together all ingredients; cover and chill until ready to serve.

TEMPURA DILL PICKLES

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 15 MIN., FRY: 2 ½MIN. PER BATCH

This recipe blends an Asian-inspired batter-tempura-with fried dill pickles, a classic fish fry side in the Lower South.

1 (24-ounce) jar sliced kosher dill pickles

Vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground red pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup club soda, chilled

DRAIN pickles, reserving 2 tablespoons pickle juice. Press pickles between layers of paper towels. Set aside.

POUR oil to a depth of 3 inches into a Dutch oven; heat to 370°.

COMBINE flour and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in club soda and reserved 2 tablespoons pickle juice, stirring just until combined. (Batter will be lumpy.)

DIP pickles into batter, letting excess drip off.

FRY pickles, in batches, 2 ½ minutes or until golden brown. Drain on wire racks over paper towels, and serve immediately. JONATHAN CALVANO

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

CRACKER-BREADED FRIED SHRIMP

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 30 MIN., FRY: 2 MIN. PHR BATCH

We found that coarsely crushed crackers work best for this recipe. Place crackers in a zip-top plastic bag, and crush with a rolling pin.

2 pounds unpeeled, large fresh shrimp

1 ½ cups crushed buttery round crackers (about 26 crackers)

½ cup all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon pepper, divided

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup buttermilk

2 to 3 drops hot sauce

1 large egg

Vegetable oil

PEEL shrimp, leaving tails intact, and devein, if desired.