How to Make Baked Catfish

Cheesy Baked Catfish!

A lot of people steer away from baking fish, because they fear that their meal will come out tasting "fishy", or mushy from overcooking. The great thing about this catfish recipe is that it comes out nice and crisp. So it makes you feel like you are eating something yummy from a good old fashioned fish fry ... minus the extra calories and fat.

Things You'll Need

• 4 to 6 farm-raised catfish fillets
• Italian flavored bread crumbs (preferably Progresso)
• Kraft Parmesan Style Grated Topping (find this in most all supermarkets)
• fresh ground black pepper
• Mayonnaise, or three beaten eggs
• Cooking spray
• Large ziplock freezer bag

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350. Spray a large shallow baking dish well with the cooking spray, and put the dish in the oven while it is preheating. You want it nice and hot when you put the catfish on. This is one of the keys to the crispy finish.

2. Pour a generous amount of the bread crumbs and cheese topping into the large ziplock bag. Measuring is not really necessary here. You can always add more as you begin to coat the fish. Top the bread crumb and cheese mixture with freshly ground pepper (as much or as little as you want) ... then zip up the bag and shake it very well until blended.

3. Coat the catfish fillets with mayonnaise, or the beaten eggs. No need to overdo this, the idea is just to make the dry mixture stick. If you want to go lowfat, use lowfat mayo or egg whites.

4. Drop the catfish fillets into the ziplock bag with the dry mix. Usually two at a time is best, depending on how big your bag is. Then shake it very well. Make sure the fish is completely coated. Remove it from the bag, and place it on the baking dish that has been heating in the oven. Repeat with the other fillets. Again, if you need to add more bread crumbs, cheese and pepper to the bag to coat the remaining fillets ... go ahead.

5. Make sure fillets are not overlapping in your baking dish. Then place in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes. Keep an eye on the edges of the fish. When they look really crispy, and you can see them sizzling, the fish should be done. Serve hot with the same sides and toppings you would use with fried catfish: tartar sauce, hot sauce, whatever you prefer.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with the dry mix until you get it the way you want it. Some people prefer more cheese, or less pepper. It just depends on your taste.

• Be sure to put the largest fillets in the middle of the baking dish. It takes them longer to cook, and they will get more direct heat that way.

• Experiment with cooking time as well. In some ovens it may take 40 to 45 minutes to get that fish really crispy. Don't worry about drying it out. The mayo or egg coating helps to keep that moisture in.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish