A Friday Fish Feast

I know that catfish is not high on the wish list of some folks. But ever since I had some for the first time - it had been pulled out of the Mississippi River - (I was in Memphis) I have been hooked (not to make a pun ... ok, to make a pun). There is a curious thing about catfish filets. If you turn them over (flat side up) you will see a line more or less down the middle. Along that line is a gelatinous, slightly chewy strand of material. I cut the filet in half lengthwise along that line and then slice that peculiar edge away on an angle. Then into fingers they go.

The coating is mayo mixed with some olive oil and some hot sauce followed by unflavored bread crumbs. Please don't use the Italian flavored crumbs. They taste like your Aunt Minnie's spaghetti and meatballs from the '50's. Okay, okay, off the soap box Stephen.

I only do shallow frying - for such things as milanesa. I do absolutely no deep frying. I have my reasons and they actually don't matter here. Heat your oven to 400 degrees and bake the fingers on a baking rack over a pan for 20 minutes max, until golden brown and crunchy.

You may accompany these morsels with anything you like. I made fried rice (leftover rice from last night) and a simple green salad with a vinaigrette. It's Friday! It's fish! And I'm not even Catholic. (Don't get your knickers in a wad if you are one of the Pope's faithful) - it's just that when I was growing up Catholics were constrained from eating meat on Fridays. If it weren't for that fact we might not have frozen fish sticks (which frankly would be a good thing). Go cook something and write about it.