Catfish

CATFISH has responded extremely well to aquaculture (also known as “fish-farming”). A native of delta, marsh, and river-bottoms, catfish caught wild can sometimes carry a taste of its muddy origins, an issue well-addressed by farming. Catfish formed the basis of early-summer-morning riverbank fish-fry breakfasts throughout the Middle West and South for many years. Much of the catfish consumed in the U.S. is still fried. Our recipe includes a quick method to recreate the traditional Southern accompaniment, “hush puppies,” a few of which were given to the dogs, to assume that the fishermen retained full rights to the main course.