If fried chicken is the all-American poultry dish, then fried catfish is the fish counterpart – especially in the South. And Louisiana’s waterways provide catfish year-round, offering some of the best catfish fishing in the country.
In our fresh waters, there are three predominant species of catfish: channel (the most common, with great flavor and more meat), flatheads (also good eats,) and blues (the largest of the group.)
With their long whiskers and funny nicknames like chuckleheads, mud cats and polliwogs, catfish have some other very interesting traits.
Fun Facts
Their whole body can actually taste water! That’s because they are covered in taste buds, and research has proven that they can identify chemicals in the water.
Lacking scales, their smooth armor-like exterior provides strong protection from predators. It also makes passage through water smooth in both directions.
That’s right, catfish have a unique ability to swim backwards too.
The protective spines on their pectoral and dorsal fins can sting but are not poisonous.
Studies have revealed that catfish have great auditory perception and communicate by sound. They can distinguish between different sounds – and make their own.
Some catfish species have been known to live for 60 years in the wild, many up to 20 years.
While they also live in lakes and rivers, they prefer warmer, shallower waters, but adapt to different zones. While catfish can be caught year-round, the season peaks from April through July.
These fish can weigh up to 220 pounds and reach up to 2.5 meters in length!
Nutritional Contents of Catfish
Catfish are a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, including vitamin B12, thiamin, phosphorus, and selenium.
They are also rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are beneficial for brain health and may help protect against memory loss and conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
Don’t be Catfished
When shopping for this fish, you want to make sure what you’re buying is really catfish.
- Check the label for the common name of the packaged fish. Only those catfish species from the Ictaluridae family and any other fish with the common name ‘catfish,’ historically harvested from the wild or raised in aquaculture systems in the U.S., can legally be sold or listed on labels or restaurant menus as catfish. There are fish, like Swai and Basa, from other countries that are sold as catfish, but they are not members of the catfish family. It is illegal for these fish to be sold in the U.S. as “catfish.”
- Also look for the USDA stamp on the package.
Good Eats
This is one of my favorite fish recipes from the market and a really nice way to dress up catfish if you’re having guests over.
Grilled Catfish with Shrimp, Spinach, and Artichoke Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 to 16 medium-sized catfish fillets (approx. 6 oz each)
- Creole seasoning
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 (10-oz.) packages fresh spinach, well rinsed and stems trimmed
- 4 Tbs. butter
- 1 Cup chopped yellow onions
- 1 Tbs. minced garlic
- 1 lb. white mushrooms, chopped
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. Cayenne
- 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Cups half-and-half
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 lb. cooked shrimp, roughly chopped
- 1 Cup (1/2-inch) cubes rindless Brie
- 1 Cup grated Monterey Jack
- 1 (6 1/2-oz.) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 4 strips bacon, fried crisp, drained and chopped
- 1/4 Cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions
Pat catfish fillets dry with paper towels. Dust with favorite Cajun seasoning. Set aside. Bring a
medium pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach in batches and cook until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove and refresh under cold running water. Squeeze to remove all excess water and chop. Set aside.
In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook,
stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until liquid runs out. Add the
garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook,
stirring constantly, to make a light roux, about 2 minutes. Add the half-and-half in a steady
stream, and cook, stirring constantly, until thick and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cooked
spinach and lemon juice, and stir to incorporate. Add the shrimp, cubed and grated cheeses,
artichoke hearts, and bacon, and stir well. Remove from the heat. Warm a flat griddle then add
olive oil to coat griddle surface. Add fillets flesh side down. Cook approximately 3 minutes and
flip. Finish cooking fish until flesh is white and caramelization forms on the edges. Plate the
catfish with heaping serving of shrimp mixture. Garnish with chopped green onions and parsley.
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