Butter Fried Catfish

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Salt (Optional)
• 1 teaspoon Ground Thyme
• ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
• ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
• ½ teaspoon Paprika
• ½ teaspoon Dried Dill Weed
• ½ teaspoon Lemon Pepper
• ½ Cup Melted Butter
• 2 (8 ounce) Catfish fillets
• Lemon juice

Thoroughly blend the cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dill weed and lemon pepper in a clean and dry mixing bowl. Use a brush to coat the catfish with some of the melted butter. Sprinkle the blended spice mixture on the catfish fillets on both sides.

Heat the remaining butter in a skillet over medium to high heat and fry the seasoned catfish for four to five minutes (or until the fish flakes easily with a fork). Serve with white rice. (You can pour the remaining butter from the pan over the fish and sprinkle with lemon juice.)

Tomato Whiting

Ingredients

• 4 whiting
• lemon and parsley to garnish
• 4 tomatoes
• little lemon juice
• seasoning

Clean the whiting and split down the centre. Season well. Fill with half the sliced tomatoes, top with the rest of the tomatoes, cover with buttered paper and bake for 20 minutes in a moderately hot oven (400°F). Serve garnished with lemon and parsley.

Cod (White Fish) Tandoori

Ingredients

• 4 cod cutlets approx 175 g/6 oz each

For The Marinade

• 4 tbs natural yoghurt
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 1-2 tbs tandoori spice mixture
• 1 tbs wine vinegar
• 2 tbs vegetable oil
• coriander sprigs & onion rings to garnish

Put the fish in one layer in a shallow dish. Mix together all the marinade ingredients. Spread over the fish, turning it over so it is well coated. Leave in a cool place for about 8 hours.

Place under a hot grill and cook for about 5 minutes. Turn over and coat with marinade again and cook for a further 5-7 minutes. Garnish with coriander and onion. Serve with braised okra and aubergine.

Steamed Fish With Mustard Sauce

Fisch Gedämpft Mit Senf-Sauce

Any white fish (cod, haddock, hake etc.) may be used for this dish. Trim and wash the fish, and place in a well-greased deep plate. Sprinkle it lightly with salt and pepper and a little lemon juice, and cover with greased paper. Place the plate over a pan of boiling water, cover with another plate, and steam for about 30 minutes. turn the fish once during the cooking.

Mustard Sauce
Ingredients

• 2 tbs German mustard
• 3 tbs of fat
• 4 tbs of flour
• fish stock or water
• salt and pepper

Melt the fat and add the flour. Cook for 3 minutes. Thin with the water or stock, add the mustard, salt and pepper, and pour over the fish while both are still hot.

Cold Chambo (Tilapia) Mousse

Mousse Froid de Poisson
Ingredients

• 6-8 fillets chambo (tilapia)
• 2 cups butter
• milk
• herbs
• 4 peppercorns
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 3 tbs margarine
• 2 tbs flour
• cream (optional)
• 2 tbs sherry (optional)

Poach the fish in enough milk to cover. when cooked (10-15 minutes), remove from the milk and mash well. Add herbs, onions and peppercorns to the milk and leave for 10 minutes to infuse. Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring well to avoid lumps. Strain the milk and gradually add it to the flour, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Remove from the heat, cool a little, and add cream and sherry and season to taste. Stir in the mashed chambo. Put in a rinsed-out mould and leave in a fridge to set. When set, turn out and serve with salad.

General Purpose Fish Stock

Fischbrühe
Ingredients

• 2280 ml (4 pints water)
• 1 leek or onion
• 2 carrots
• Peppercorns and a bayleaf
• 25g (1 oz) butter
• 1 tsp salt

Bring to the boil and cook for ten minutes before adding the fish.

Spanish Cod

Ingredients

• 25g (1 oz) butter
• 1 tbls vegetable oil
• 4 cod steaks, approx 175g (6 oz) each
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tbls plain flour
• 4 tbls tomato  purée
• 300 ml (½ pint) water
• 150ml (¼ pint) dry white wine
• 25g (1 oz) anchovies, chopped
• 50g (2 oz) black olives, stoned
• 1 tbls capers
• 1 tbls lemon juice
• freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp dried oregano

Heat the butter and oil and quickly brown the fish on both sides. Remove the fish, drain and reserve. Add the onion to the pan and cook until soft.

Stir in the flour. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato purée, water and wine. Bring to the boil, stirring.

Add the anchovies, olives, capers, lemon juice, pepper and oregano. Put the fish into the sauce. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until the fish is tender.

Serving idea: Serve with rice and French beans

How To Clean, Split and Bone Round Fish

How to clean, split and bone round fish in six easy steps:

1. Wash the fish and scrape off the scales with the back of a knife, working from tail to head.
2. Cut off the head just behind the gills with a sharp knife. Cut off the fins and tail with scissors.
3. Slit open the underside of the fish to the vent and scrape out the innards. Wash in cold running water and pat dry with a paper towel. Rub the flesh with a little salt to make it less slippery and easier to handle.
4. Open the fish out and press down on a working surface, skin side uppermost. Press hard along the backbone to flatten the fish.
5. Turn the fish over and lift the bone away with the flat of a knife.
6. Wash in cold running water and pat dry with a paper towel.