| For much of my early life I had a love-hate | | | | and may be kept in aquaria. Others are |
| relationship with catfish.I would go fishing | | | | literally gigantic; the largest freshwater |
| with my dad, who liked to cast a line from | | | | fish on record is a 646-pound Mekong giant |
| one of the many piers built out into the Gulf | | | | catfish that some fishermen in Thailand |
| of Mexico from the shores of Louisiana, | | | | somehow managed to catch.Most of the catfish |
| Alabama and Florida. His fellow anglers | | | | that you buy at the store will weigh between |
| frequently reeled in catfish, which too often | | | | one and two pounds. This is the weight range |
| were left to expire on the planks of the | | | | that catfish farmers aim for in their effort |
| pier, their stiff dorsal fin sticking almost | | | | to promote product consistency.The following |
| straight into the air, ready to deliver a | | | | are some catfish recipes you might wish to |
| painful sting to any barefooted kid | | | | try:Catfish in Beer BatterIngredients3 cups |
| unfortunate enough to step on it. One day, | | | | self-rising flour2 cups beer, whichever brand |
| one of those unlucky barefoot kids happened | | | | you prefer1 clove garlic, minced1 teaspoon |
| to be me.All I can remember from that | | | | salt1 teaspoon black pepper6 catfish |
| misadventure is searing pain shooting through | | | | filletsCooking oil Directions1. Combine 1 1 |
| my foot and up into my leg, and being taken | | | | 2 cups flour, beer, garlic, salt and black |
| to a hospital emergency room. Lesson: When | | | | pepper in a bowl.2. Dredge catfish fillets in |
| handling catfish--dead, alive, or dying--be | | | | the remaining flour, and then in the better |
| very careful. (I've since learned that a | | | | created in step 1.3. Heat cooking oil in |
| catfish's stinging ability lies with a | | | | skillet. Fry fillets in hot oil until |
| particular protein that it can deliver via | | | | golden.4. Drain fillets on absorbent paper |
| its fins. True biology fact!)On the other | | | | towels, and serve hot.Tip: Make tabasco or |
| hand, I have to say that eating a mess of | | | | other hot sauce available for your guests to |
| fried catfish on a big screened porch on a | | | | put on the catfish, if they wish. Also, have |
| soft southern night is an experience I'm | | | | plenty of cold beer on hand to drink!Baked |
| dearly miss, and one that I wish I could | | | | Broiled CatfishIngredients4 whole large |
| share with my own children.The South is the | | | | catfish1/2 cup tomato sauce2 packages |
| epicenter of catfish culture in the United | | | | shredded cheddar or Mexican cheese2 |
| States. Most catfish consumption takes place | | | | tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated1 |
| in this region. Traditionally, southerners | | | | tablespoon parsley flakesCooking |
| bread it with cornmeal and fry it. But there | | | | oilDirections1. Brush fish, inside and |
| are numerous other ways to prepare it, | | | | outside, with tomato sauce.2. Grease a baking |
| too.Thanks to farmed catfish, this southern | | | | large baking dish. Place fish in dish and |
| staple is showing up on seafood shelves in | | | | brush with a little cooking oil.4. Sprinkle |
| other regions, too. That's a positive | | | | the two cheeses and the parsley flakes over |
| development. It's an inexpensive food, yet | | | | the fish and bake in an oven at 350 degrees |
| one that is particularly high in protein and | | | | for approximately 30 minutes.5. Turn fish |
| other nutritional goodness.Nearly all U.S. | | | | over and broil close to top heat of oven for |
| farm-raised catfish, by the way, comes from | | | | 2 minutes.Grilled CatfishIngredients 6 |
| four states: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and | | | | catfish filletsJuice of 2 lemons1/3 cup |
| Mississippi. This industry employs over | | | | cooking oil1 teaspoon saltDirections1. |
| 13,000 people. Catfish farming is also | | | | Combine all ingredients (except fillets) in a |
| economically important in parts of South | | | | casserole dish to create a marinade.2. Place |
| America and Asia.So just what is a catfish? | | | | fillets in casserole dish with marinade. Let |
| The name applies to an incredibly large | | | | stand in refrigerator overnight.3. Grill |
| number of different species, but they all | | | | marinated fillets over hot coals 4 to 6 |
| have prominent barbels, resembling a cat's | | | | minutes per side, or until the fish flakes |
| whiskers--hence the name. Most catfish are | | | | when pierced with a fork.Sarah Sandori is the |
| found in freshwater habitats, though | | | | food and entertaining columnist for the Solid |
| some--like the "cat" that sent me | | | | Gold Info Writers Consortium. Have you ever |
| to the hospital--live in the sea. Catfish | | | | wanted to be able to exactly duplicate a |
| range greatly in size, too. Some are tiny, | | | | favorite dish from a favorite restaurant? |