bitten.

I mentioned "my cookbook" of brazenly stolen recipes already, didn't I. Here are a couple of catfish stylings from it, I don't think I've tried either of these before but they look like they could work with some tweaking.This first one needs to be scaled down and tested for sure, and the second one just needs to be rewritten. 

+++

pan-sautéed catfish with parsley-pecan sauce.

2 cups cornmeal, polenta, etc.
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
6 catfish fillets, about 6 ounces each
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups parsley-pecan sauce

2 cups tightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems only
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup broken pecan meats
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated romano cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions: Mix cornmeal, cayenne pepper and salt. Spread on large platter and dredge each fillet, shaking off excess. Set aside on sheet of waxed paper. Heat half the oil and butter in a skillet large enough to accommodate 3 fillets. When butter is foaming but not brown, add fillets and sauté on one side for about 4 minutes, until light golden. Turn fillets and spread the browned side with sauce; continue to sauté until underside is browned, about another 4 minutes. Cover skillet for a few minutes to melt sauce. Remove fish to platter. Add remaining oil and butter and cook remaining fillets.
Sauce: Place parsley in food processor and process until coarsely chopped, turning machine off and on and scraping down sides. Add all other ingredients except salt, and process until mixture makes a smooth paste. Store, tightly covered in refrigerator. Makes about 2 cups.
6 servings.

+++

pud ped pla duk.

a few catfish filets
1/2 cup thai eggplant (small round green eggplants)
6-10 cloves garlic, crushed, chopped or mashed
2 stalks lemon grass (about 2-3" long), bruised
1/4 cup very thinly sliced ginger
1/2 cup sweet basil, chopped
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar
sliced green chilies

Combine the sauce ingredients. In a wok get enough oil to shallow fry the fish smoking hot. Add the fish and stir until thoroughly coated with oil, then add the prepared sauce. Stir fry for about 2-3 minutes, ensuring the fish doesn't stick to the pan and the pieces are all thoroughly sauced. Remove to a serving dish and serve with steamed jasmine rice.