The Catfish That Walks

I think the catfish species has been much maligned.  When I talk to people about my love of catfish (for eating), many reject the idea and turn up their noses at the thought.  However, catfish inhabit every continent on the planet except Antarctica.  That could be because they don't like the very cold, frozen temperatures.  They prefer cool, clean, deep water with slow or moderate currents. They also like a sandy or rocky bottom. So they inhabit rivers, streams, swamps, lakes and reservoirs.

There are over 2000 catfish species in existence and more than half of them live in the Americas.  They live in Central Europe, Africa and Asia and some of the world's best catfish recipes come from those countries.  In some locales, there is a species of catfish that walks.  Well, it doesn't actually walks, but has a way to get across land when the waters dry up.

At one time, catfish were a delicacy and eaten on special holidays, so when immigrants came to American shores, they brought that tradition with them.  Nowadays, catfish is enjoyed anytime.

Catfish have no scales, but they do have what are called "barbels" which look like cat whiskers.  Nor do they have fur. They have a delicate flavor so they lend themselves easily to many fish recipes.    They can be sautéed, broiled, put in stews or barbecued. 

In Indonesia, people get their catfish grilled by street vendors in stalls and eaten with vegetables and soy sauce.  In Malaysia catfish is fried with spices (See below: Fried Catfish Middle Eastern Style). In some Indian states catfish is eaten as a favored delicacy during the monsoons.  And, of course, in the Southern United States, catfish is generally fried in oil with cornmeal.  (See below my Annapolis-inspired Fried Catfish Nuggets for the Super Bowl.)

In the US, roughly 95% of  farm-raised catfish is raised in Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, and Louisiana.  Catfish is very popular in the South in the summertime.  In recognition of and to celebrate its popularity, President Ronald Reagan declared June 25th National Catfish Day in 1987.

Here, in the coming months, you are going to find some of the world's best catfish recipes for catfish lovers.

Warning Tips for Cooking Vegetable Meals for Non-Vegetarians

Just the word, vegetables, causes some people to have the same reaction as if they were eating a lemon. Especially when you first learn to cook, you may shrink in horror at the thought of having to a meal of just vegetables. There was a time when the thought of serving a dish with no meat was unappealing. Meatless meals were for those "weird" friends who all of a sudden became vegetarian..

Vegetables were a mostly lowly unnoticed addition to a meal. There was no variety.  They were there so you would have three things on your plate and, you could say you ate something nutritional. Primarily the green stuff was ignored and not just by children. Fortunately, times have changed!

Nowadays, meatless meals are exciting, filling and downright delicious. A warning, though: because vegetables are so perishable, they change when they are cooked and there are some tips to be aware of that will determine whether your finished dish looks and tastes good.

• Do not overcook. Doneness varies from vegetable to vegetable; however, most vegetables should be cooked briefly

• Vegetables that have tender parts and tough parts, like broccoli and asparagus, require special preparation so all parts get done at the same time

• For example, broccoli stems should be removed from the florets and trimmed. Asparagus stalks should be peeled. The base of Brussels sprouts should be pierced with a sharp knife

• Add vegetables to boiling salted water to cut down on cooking time and help minimize loss of flavor

• Mushrooms easily absorb water so rinse or wipe mushrooms with a damp paper towel

• Perk up steamed vegetables by adding a little lemon juice or olive oil. Toss them in a vinaigrette or add a little grated cheese

Home-cooked vegetable meals sometimes get a bad rap. Cooking one doesn't mean having unexciting or bland fare. Treat your vegetables well and you can have a tasty and satisfying meal.

Discover How to Make Your Favorite Restaurant Dishes at Home!  These Secret Recipes Have Finally Been Revealed... Click here!

America's Secret Recipes: Cook Your Favorite Restaurant Dishes At Home

I am not a famous chef, yet I re-create many of America's secret recipes right at home in my own kitchen and stay within my budget. So can you. Right now that is very important for many of us. For those with children and families you have all the more reason to want to save money. Secret Restaurant Recipes are contained in 2 volumes chocked full of some of the best restaurant dishes in the world.

Last week I was able to bake the Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits. These little gems are so delicious; it is hard to describe how good they are, except that they remind me of the biscuits my mom used to make, without the cheese. It was so hard waiting for them to cool; actually I did burn my tongue a bit because I tried to eat one just out of the oven. To add my own little spin, I use extra sharp cheese instead of the mild cheddar the recipe calls for. It is so satisfying to be able to cook meals that I go to a restaurant and buy. It had not entered my mind that I could do this until I saw this Americas Secret Recipes being offered online.

I love eating out. Unfortunately I have had to "cut down," so to speak, so having this cookbook with recipes from Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, PF Chang's and even KFC makes up for the lack. All I can say is "yumm-eee." Making these dishes is a real budget stretcher. Especially since many of these same restaurants are raising their prices at this time where many people are having to carefully follow their budgets.

I happen to love cooking and have taken some cooking classes; however, most of these recipes can be done even if you have never taken a cooking class. When you hear the raves from your family and friends, like I have, you will be convinced you made the right decision.

In fact, I wish I had owned these cookbooks when I was a personal chef. They would have been great for my business. My home clients would have loved the variety and uniqueness of the recipes. The Olive Garden's Chicken Crostina would have been a winner. Chicken breasts are marinated in olive oil and rosemary then lightly breaded. The chicken is sautéed with fresh garlic and diced Roma tomatoes in a creamy garlic-butter sauce and served over linguine pasta. Then you make a crust of breadcrumbs, shredded potatoes herbs and 3 different kinds of cheeses. It tastes so good. Just like at Olive Garden.

Ready? Click here for ordering instructions.