| For much of my early life I had a | | | | store will weigh between one and two |
| love-hate relationship with catfish. | | | | pounds. This is the weight range that |
| I would go fishing with my dad, who | | | | catfish farmers aim for in their effort |
| liked to cast a line from one of the | | | | to promote product consistency. |
| many piers built out into the Gulf of | | | | The following are some catfish recipes |
| Mexico from the shores of Louisiana, | | | | you might wish to try: |
| Alabama and Florida. His fellow anglers | | | | Catfish in Beer Batter |
| frequently reeled in catfish, which too | | | | Ingredients |
| often were left to expire on the planks | | | | 3 cups self-rising flour |
| of the pier, their stiff dorsal fin | | | | 2 cups beer, whichever brand you prefer |
| sticking almost straight into the air, | | | | 1 clove garlic, minced |
| ready to deliver a painful sting to any | | | | 1 teaspoon salt |
| barefooted kid unfortunate enough to | | | | 1 teaspoon black pepper |
| step on it. One day, one of those | | | | 6 catfish fillets |
| unlucky barefoot kids happened to be me. | | | | Cooking oil Directions |
| All I can remember from that | | | | 1. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, beer, |
| misadventure is searing pain shooting | | | | garlic, salt and black pepper in a bowl. |
| through my foot and up into my leg, and | | | | 2. Dredge catfish fillets in the |
| being taken to a hospital emergency | | | | remaining flour, and then in the better |
| room. Lesson: When handling | | | | created in step 1. |
| catfish--dead, alive, or dying--be very | | | | 3. Heat cooking oil in skillet. Fry |
| careful. (I've since learned that a | | | | fillets in hot oil until golden. |
| catfish's stinging ability lies with a | | | | 4. Drain fillets on absorbent paper |
| particular protein that it can deliver | | | | towels, and serve hot. |
| via its fins. True biology fact!) | | | | Tip: Make tabasco or other hot sauce |
| On the other hand, I have to say that | | | | available for your guests to put on the |
| eating a mess of fried catfish on a big | | | | catfish, if they wish. Also, have plenty |
| screened porch on a soft southern night | | | | of cold beer on hand to drink! |
| is an experience I'm dearly miss, and | | | | Baked/Broiled Catfish |
| one that I wish I could share with my | | | | Ingredients |
| own children. | | | | 4 whole large catfish |
| The South is the epicenter of catfish | | | | 1/2 cup tomato sauce |
| culture in the United States. Most | | | | 2 packages shredded cheddar or Mexican |
| catfish consumption takes place in this | | | | cheese |
| region. Traditionally, southerners bread | | | | 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated |
| it with cornmeal and fry it. But there | | | | 1 tablespoon parsley flakes |
| are numerous other ways to prepare it, | | | | Cooking oil |
| too. | | | | Directions |
| Thanks to farmed catfish, this southern | | | | 1. Brush fish, inside and outside, with |
| staple is showing up on seafood shelves | | | | tomato sauce. |
| in other regions, too. That's a positive | | | | 2. Grease a baking large baking dish. |
| development. It's an inexpensive food, | | | | Place fish in dish and brush with a |
| yet one that is particularly high in | | | | little cooking oil. |
| protein and other nutritional goodness. | | | | 4. Sprinkle the two cheeses and the |
| Nearly all U.S. farm-raised catfish, by | | | | parsley flakes over the fish and bake in |
| the way, comes from four states: | | | | an oven at 350 degrees for approximately |
| Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and | | | | 30 minutes. |
| Mississippi. This industry employs over | | | | 5. Turn fish over and broil close to top |
| 13,000 people. Catfish farming is also | | | | heat of oven for 2 minutes. |
| economically important in parts of South | | | | Grilled Catfish |
| America and Asia. | | | | Ingredients |
| So just what is a catfish? The name | | | | 6 catfish fillets |
| applies to an incredibly large number of | | | | Juice of 2 lemons |
| different species, but they all have | | | | 1/3 cup cooking oil |
| prominent barbels, resembling a cat's | | | | 1 teaspoon salt |
| whiskers--hence the name. Most catfish | | | | Directions |
| are found in freshwater habitats, though | | | | 1. Combine all ingredients (except |
| some--like the "cat" that sent | | | | fillets) in a casserole dish to create a |
| me to the hospital--live in the sea. | | | | marinade. |
| Catfish range greatly in size, too. Some | | | | 2. Place fillets in casserole dish with |
| are tiny, and may be kept in aquaria. | | | | marinade. Let stand in refrigerator |
| Others are literally gigantic; the | | | | overnight. |
| largest freshwater fish on record is a | | | | 3. Grill marinated fillets over hot |
| 646-pound Mekong giant catfish that some | | | | coals 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until |
| fishermen in Thailand somehow managed to | | | | the fish flakes when pierced with a |
| catch. | | | | fork. |
| Most of the catfish that you buy at the | | | | |