Big Billy's Grilled Catfish with Pineapple Salsa - a weekend recipe

Originally from Arkansas, Texas oil man Big Billy loved catfish and had a hundred different ways of preparing and cooking it. He also liked to grill outdoors, drinking beer and telling oil stories (all true, by the way) while he cooked. Here is one of his favorite—and simple—ways to grill and serve catfish. For some of his stories, you’ll have to check out his Little Texas Cookbook.

Ingredients (Catfish)

• 4 catfish fillets

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 1 tsp garlic salt

• ½ tsp black pepper, cracked

• ¼ tsp red pepper, ground

Ingredients (Pineapple Salsa)

• 1 c pineapple, fresh, peeled and diced

• ¼ cup red onion, diced

• 1 c red bell pepper, diced

• 2 Tbsp cilantro leaves, fresh, chopped

• 2 tsp jalapeno pepper, fresh, minced

• 2 Tbsp lime juice, fresh

• ½ tsp salt

• Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Directions

(Catfish) Rinse fillets and pat dry. Brush with olive oil, combine ingredients and sprinkle on rounded side. On a pre-heated grill, cook on high heat, rounded side down for 3 to 4 minutes, flip the fillets and continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

(Pineapple Salsa) Combine all ingredients and set aside until catfish is grilled, then spoon the salsa on the fillets and serve.

Eric'sWeb

Marilyn's Chicken-Fried Catfish with Pan Gravy - a weekend recipe

Do you crave southern comfort food? Who doesn’t? Here is a recipe that embodies the spirit of food for the soul. Serve it with mashed potatoes and pan gravy. Heck, I even like pan gravy over my green beans. Enjoy.

Marilyn’s Chicken-Fried Catfish with Pan Gravy

Ingredients

• 4 catfish filets

• 1 cup vegetable shortening

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1 cup whole milk

Directions

Combine salt, pepper and flour in a large zip-top plastic bag. Mix well. Pour milk into a large bowl. Dip filets in milk and shake off excess. Enclose in bag and shake to coat. Shake off excess. Set a cast-iron skillet over medium flame and add shortening. Lay each filet in hot fat. Repeat until skillet is full, but not crowded. The shortening should be no deeper than ¼ inch. Heat only until it's hot enough to set the breading on the catfish after it's dropped into the skillet. When the bottom crust starts sizzling, turn filets and set the other side.

Pan Gravy

Ingredients

• 3 cups milk

• Catfish drippings

• 3 Tbsp. flour

• 1 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. pepper

Directions

In a heavy, 2-quart saucepan, heat 3 cups milk but don't let it boil. Using the skillet in which you cooked the catfish, pour off excess grease, leaving about 4 or 5 tablespoons in the pan. Over medium flame, heat the drippings and add 3 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue stirring to brown flour. When brown, hot and bubbling, add hot milk. Stir constantly until thick and creamy. Add 1 ½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.

Eric'sWeb

Old Hosston Blackened Catfish - a weekend recipe

Louisiana is called the sportsman’s paradise. I’m not much of a sportsman, but I remember fishing at Black Bayou with young friends Billy Williams and Ronnie Elkins. That beautiful summer day, we caught a single catfish that we filleted and cooked on the bayou. It was more than good, it was wonderful. Here is a recipe for blackened catfish, Hosston style that qualifies as southern comfort food. Enjoy.

Old Hosston Blackened Catfish

Ingredients:

· 6 to 8 catfish fillets
· 1 teaspoon black pepper
· 1 teaspoon thyme
· 1 teaspoon salt
· ½ teaspoon garlic powder
· ½ teaspoon onion powder
· ½ teaspoon paprika
· ½ cup butter, melted
· lemon juice, a few drops

Rinse fillets and then pat dry with paper towels. Mix thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika in a small bowl. Brush melted butter lightly over catfish fillets and sprinkle with blackened seasoning. Coat each fillet.

Heat iron cast skillet until it is very hot, about 10 minutes. Pour the leftover butter into your skillet. Cook fillets in skillet for about 4 minutes on both sides. Turn the fillets when the smoke turns gray. Serve finished fillets over a bed of white steamed rice. Add a few drops of lemon juice to each fillet.

Eric'sWeb