Catfish Stew

[Fishbusters]

4lbs boneless catfish chunks*<br />6 medium potatoes cubed<br />2 large onions chopped<br />4 strips bacon<br />16oz catsup<br />1 cup medium salsa**<br />2tsp salt<br />1/2tsp black pepper<br />hot sauce<br />Fry the bacon remove and crumble. Sauté the chopped onions in the bacon drippings. Cook the potatoes in a small amount of water. In a 6 to 8 quart pot put in fish with enough water to almost cover it add salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook the fish for 10min until just tender. Add the potatoes, onions, bacon and bring to a simmer, then add the salsa and catsup. Simmer 10min then add hot sauce to taste. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes and then serve. This can all be done the night before then heated to serve.<br />* any fish can be substituted but catfish is the way it's done here in the south.<br />** if you don't like the Mexican taste you can add 1cup more onions to be sautéed and in place of the salsa use tomato soup, paste or just plain canned tomatoes. <br />Of course there are many recipes and some call for a can of corn and other things can also be added as you like but this is a basic recipe. Some people fry the fish rather than boil/poach it and use milk instead of water while others have been known to use leftover fish from last night's fish fry. You can experiment till you get something which fits your personal tastes but I actually like this recipe and if you substitute as mentioned for the salsa it is what I and many others consider traditional catfish stew.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Catfish Stew

mmmmmm, I'm hungry now!

 

[gonfishn]

Re: Catfish Stew

You must have some pretty clean water where you are at PF. Most of our rivers and lakes around here where I'm at are pretty polluted and rumors have it that some are known to glow in the dark. Some monster cats are pulled in on the Ohio River but we don't dare eat em. A Bob Evans catfish dinner is about as close as I get to eating them....

 

[NOSLEEP]

Re: Catfish Stew

Peterfishbuster<br />That sounds like a tasty fish recipe<br />I will give it a try tonight with some fresh<br />pike from saturday. Pike stew, sounds great.

 

[NOSLEEP]

Re: Catfish Stew

peterfishbuster<br />I accidentally edited your name with<br />the iespell spell checker. it replaced <br />peterfishbuster with "pitifullest" ha! ha! sorry if you saw it.

 

[bKelly]

Re: Catfish Stew

Thanks Peterfishbuster for the recipe,<br /><br />I will have to try that soon. Guess I need to thaw some catfish from the freezer. <br /><br />Peter have you ever tried cooking hybrid striper like that?

 

[Fishbusters]

Re: Catfish Stew

Nope, but it works for other fish especially good if you have had something a little long in the freezer but it's not freezer burnt yet. Catfish here only recently have been put on the not safe to eat a bunch of them list as well as many other species of fish however this is not for all waters here but only a select few places. We still eat them here as fillets with all the red and such cut out which helps reduce some of the bad stuff. I would hazard a guess that this recipe would do for any fish but Salmoniods like salmon, trout and the rest there could be other species that would not taste good you are gonna have to experiment on your own if you have a question as to will it or won't it. You can also use whole small fish but you have to cook them then pick out the bones which is why fillets are better. Anyway I'm a little hungry too gonna go have some ponsit here in a couple of min.<br />BTW let us know if you make this recipe either with catfish or any other fish especially if you like it.