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