Stewed Pepper Catfish

I usually rely on old Morton Williams for my grocery needs, but their seafood selection can be a bit limited unless you want tilapia.  So, on evenings where I try to get some vitamin D or omega-3, I generally take the slightly longer stroll to D'Agostino, who usually have something more interesting in the fish section (although their produce can be pretty unappealing).

One recent evening, the pick of the D'Ag fish cooler was clearly a big catfish filet.  I bought it, and returned to my apartment to see what recipes the Internet could provide that I could fill out with what was in the pantry.  Lacking flour ruled out most recipes I turned up, but this one caught my eye.  I didn't have the right ingredients as written, but who ever heard of Italian catfish anyway?  No, catfish has to be Southern, and while I may have taken it a little too close to or over the border, it worked out nicely.

My Recipe

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 can (4 oz) diced chiles
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
catfish filet(s)

Heat olive oil in a skillet and saute the jalapeno, onion, and garlic for a few minutes.  Add the broth, chiles, cumin and pepper and boil for a few minutes.  Reduce heat and plop the catfish onto the sauce base, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes.  If the catfish is falling apart it's probably pretty fully done...  Serve on its own or over rice.

Outcome

There's just something missing when you don't deep fry catfish...  Even if you prepare it some other way, it really needs some spices - I'd probably add a rub to the mix to make it again.  But the improvised pepper stew sauce was great - I finished off what was left with some Scoops!