Quick Catfish Tonight

Don't touch that dial-on your oven, that is-this dinner starts on the cooktop.

Tonight, serve a main dish that cooks in 10 minutes on the cook-top with a nice do-ahead slaw on the side. One skillet is all you need. Toast the bread first, remove it from the pan, cover with foil to keep warm, and then cook the fish in the same skillet. SHIRLEY HARRINGTON

LEMON-GARLIC TOAST

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

PREP: 15 MIN., COOK: 4 MIN.

¼ cup butter, softened

1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh parsley

1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon rind

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

8 (¾-inch-thick) French bread slices

STIR together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Spread about ½ teaspoon butter mixture on both cut sides of each bread slice.

HEAT a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add bread slices, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until toasted.

NOTE: Butter mixture can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. To soften, microwave at LOW (20% power) for 20 seconds; stir. Microwave at LOW an additional 5 to 10 seconds, if necessary.

QUICK PAN-FRIED CATFISH

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

PREP: 15 MIN., COOK: 10 MIN.

Fish generally cooks 10 minutes per inch of thickness. If the catfish you buy is thicker, it will take longer to cook. Just lower the temperature slightly.

¾ cup all-purpose baking mix

½ cup yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

4 (4- to 6-ounce) catfish fillets

½ cup Ranch dressing

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Lemon wedges

COMBINE first 3 ingredients in a shallow bowl.

PAT catfish fillets dry with paper towels; brush both sides of each fillet evenly with Ranch dressing. Dredge in cornmeal mixture; lightly press cornmeal mixture onto fillets.

COOK catfish in hot vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until fish just flakes with a fork. Serve immediately with lemon wedges. JANICE ELDER

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

NOTE: For testing purposes only, we used Bisquick for all-purpose baking mix.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Jul 2005
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