ad info




CNNin
 MAIN PAGE
 WORLD
 ASIANOW
 U.S.
 LOCAL
 POLITICS
 WEATHER
 BUSINESS
 SPORTS
 TECHNOLOGY
 NATURE
 ENTERTAINMENT
 BOOKS
 TRAVEL
 FOOD
   recipes
   news
   restaurants
   resources
 HEALTH
 STYLE
 IN-DEPTH

 custom news
 Headline News brief
 daily almanac
 CNN networks
 CNN programs
 on-air transcripts
 news quiz

  CNN WEB SITES:
CNN Websites
 TIME INC. SITES:
 MORE SERVICES:
 video on demand
 video archive
 audio on demand
 news email services
 free email accounts
 desktop headlines
 pointcast
 pagenet

 DISCUSSION:
 message boards
 chat
 feedback

 SITE GUIDES:
 help
 contents
 search

 FASTER ACCESS:
 europe
 japan

 WEB SERVICES:

Use the pulldown menus to visit other Food Central sections:

Key ingredient

Beyond the whiskers: Consumers catch a taste for catfish

By Amanda Barnett
CNN Interactive

Catfish
InteractiveSTEP-BY-STEP:
Do it yourself: Fry up a feast -- Catfish with Tomatillo Sauce and Jicama Coleslaw from the Georgia Grille in Atlanta.
Recipes:
  • Catfish with Tomatillo Sauce and Jicama Coleslaw

  • Baked Catfish Etouffee
  • Nutritional information:

    Per 3.5 ounces raw catfish

    Calories 116

    Fat calories 39

    Total fat 4.3 grams

    Saturated fat 1 gram

    Cholesterol 58 milligrams

    Protein 18.2 grams

    Source: The National Fisheries Institute

    Tips for grilling:

    Line the grill with foil for easy clean-up

    Start the fire about 30 minutes before cooking. Let it burn white hot before adding the fish. A moderately hot fire is best for cooking. Make sure the grill rack is hot before adding catfish.

    Clean the grill rack before cooking. Adjust the rack to 4-6 inches above the flames.

    Oil both the grill rack or basket and the fish to prevent sticking.

    Watch the grill! Catfish cooks quickly, taking about 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

    Baste the fish frequently to keep it moist and tender.

    Brush frozen fillets with olive oil and seasonings before placing the fillets on the grill.

    Source: The Catfish Institute

     

    July 30, 1999
    Web posted at: 5:47 p.m. EDT (2147 GMT)


    In this story:

    Mild and slightly sweet

    Only one 'wrong way' to cook a catfish

    But aren't catfish bottom-feeders?

    RELATED STORIES, SITES icon



    (CNN) -- Fish lovers are finding ways to fancy up an old Southern favorite: catfish.

    Farm-raised catfish is now ranked the fifth most popular fish consumed in the United States, according to The Catfish Institute. Only tuna, pollock, salmon and cod are more popular.

    Per capita consumption more than doubled to 1 pound between 1985 and 1997. The catfish industry produced 6 million pounds of fish in 1970. That grew to 525 million pounds in 1997.

    About 70 percent of the farm-raised catfish in the United States is produced in Mississippi. The rest comes from Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana, according to The National Fisheries Institute.

    Mild and slightly sweet

    Catfish producers describe the flavor as slightly sweet with a firm yet slightly flaky texture.

    "Mild, sweet taste like a good pecan; a good, juicy sweet taste," said catfish farmer Harry Simmons, owner of Simmons Farm Raised Catfish, in Yazoo City, Mississippi.

    Only one 'wrong way' to cook a catfish

    While frying is popular, Simmons said he likes his catfish baked with a little parmesan.

    Health-conscious consumers can smoke, grill, broil or saute the fish. In fact, the only "wrong way" to cook catfish is roasting, according to the National Fisheries Institute.

    Catfish can be seasoned in many ways. Herbs can be used to boost the flavor without adding fat. Or for a smoky taste, chips of hickory, mesquite or other woods can be sprinkled over the coals on the grill.

    Catfish can be purchased whole, but boneless fillets are readily available and are great for grilling. Catfish also is sold as individually quick-frozen fillets.

    But aren't catfish bottom-feeders?

    Catfish have long been popular in the South.

    "People around here have always liked it," said Simmons. "And with me growing up and eating it, I never thought it tasted bad."

    Still, catfish farmers concede that despite its growing popularity, catfish faces an image problem.

    "Some people think it's a bottom fish," Simmons said. "They think catfish has a muddy flavor or eats trash."

    But today's catfish are more upscale. Most are raised in clay-based commercial ponds with fresh water pumped in from underground wells, according to The Catfish Institute.

    "We grow catfish in ponds and feed them corn and soybean meal," Simmons said. "It floats, so they come up to eat it."

    He also said catfish are tested for flavor to make sure they don't taste like algae.

    How would Simmons get catfish skeptics to try it?

    "If I can ever get it in their mouth," said Simmons, "they will like it."



    RELATED STORIES:
    Americans eat nearly 15 pounds of seafood a year
    July 13, 1999
    Texas-sized catfish caught in Texas
    December 4, 1998

    RELATED SITES:
    The Catfish Institute
    National Fisheries Institute
    Georgia Grille
    Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
    External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.

    LATEST FOOD STORIES:
    Texas cattle quarantined after violation of mad-cow feed ban
    Spago Hollywood closing its doors
    A low-fat standby
    Yogurt: Got culture?
    Super shrimp for a Super Bowl barbecue
     LATEST HEADLINES:
    SEARCH CNN.com
    Enter keyword(s)   go    help

    Back to the top   © 2001 Cable News Network. All Rights Reserved.
    Terms under which this service is provided to you.
    Read our privacy guidelines.