07-04-2007, 05:48 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Not all men are created equal...nor are all fish cooked the same. Pretty profound, huh?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]While I generally prefer (and promote) deep frying catfish, the smaller ones like we get from Willard Bay can be satisfactorily cooked many ways. The big thing about deep frying is that it provides more intense heat to cook the fish more thoroughly. That is a biggie with biggie catfish...and thicker fillets.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Since catfish have firm flesh, they also survive well on grills, as long as you turn them only once, using a wide spatula. They will fall apart when cooked. Best to use one of those wire mesh fish grilling contraptions. Baste them with lemon butter while they sizzle on the grill.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I will be doing a few for myself (dining alone...TubeBabe out of town) using my semi-scampi recipe. That consists of first marinating the fillets for about 45 minutes to an hour (no longer) in an inexpensive cream sherry (wine). Then, the fillets are drained (not rinsed) and sauteed in a half cube of butter tempered with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. To that you add a couple of teaspoons of minced garlic and cook over med hi heat until each side is browned a bit and the fillets come apart easily with a fork. The alcohol in the wine cooks off but leaves a nice taste in the fish. Add your choice of seasonings AFTER the fish are cooked. I like plain old salt and pepper. Pour the "drippin's" over the fish in a shallow bowl and mop up the calories with some fresh french bread. Then sit back in your recliner and listen to your arteries harden.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]While I generally prefer (and promote) deep frying catfish, the smaller ones like we get from Willard Bay can be satisfactorily cooked many ways. The big thing about deep frying is that it provides more intense heat to cook the fish more thoroughly. That is a biggie with biggie catfish...and thicker fillets.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Since catfish have firm flesh, they also survive well on grills, as long as you turn them only once, using a wide spatula. They will fall apart when cooked. Best to use one of those wire mesh fish grilling contraptions. Baste them with lemon butter while they sizzle on the grill.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I will be doing a few for myself (dining alone...TubeBabe out of town) using my semi-scampi recipe. That consists of first marinating the fillets for about 45 minutes to an hour (no longer) in an inexpensive cream sherry (wine). Then, the fillets are drained (not rinsed) and sauteed in a half cube of butter tempered with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. To that you add a couple of teaspoons of minced garlic and cook over med hi heat until each side is browned a bit and the fillets come apart easily with a fork. The alcohol in the wine cooks off but leaves a nice taste in the fish. Add your choice of seasonings AFTER the fish are cooked. I like plain old salt and pepper. Pour the "drippin's" over the fish in a shallow bowl and mop up the calories with some fresh french bread. Then sit back in your recliner and listen to your arteries harden.[/#0000ff]
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