Thursday, January 26, 2012

Catfish Filet Sandwiches with Red Firecracker Sauce

For the catfish:
4 3- 5 ounce U.S. Farm-Raised catfish fillets, frozen
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons olive oil
For the Red Firecracker Sauce:
2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For serving:
4 soft sandwich rolls
Lettuce leaves, alfalfa sprouts, or coleslaw
8 slices ripe avocado
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 thin slices red onion
4 teaspoons sour cream or plain yogurt

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. To prepare the catfish, place the frozen catfish fillets in a baking pan large enough
to hold them in a single layer. Sprinkle with oregano and season with salt and pepper.
Drizzle the fillets with olive oil. Bake about 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily when
tested with a fork. Cool. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the sauce. The catfish can
be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated.

3. To prepare the red firecracker sauce, place lime or lemon juice and mustard in a non-
corrosive medium bowl. Using a wire whisk, mix until smooth. Whisk in chili powder,
cumin, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Gradually whisk in olive oil until it forms
a smooth, slightly thickened sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set
aside. The sauce can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. (If the sauce separates, whisk
until blended.)

4. Cut the cooked fillets in half and coat each piece with some of the sauce. Spread a little
of the sauce on the bottom of each roll and cover them with lettuce leaves or sprouts or
coleslaw. Place two pieces of the dressed fillets on top of the greens on each roll. Place
avocado slices on top and season with salt and pepper. Place red onion slices on top of
the avocado and add a small dollop of sour cream or yogurt. Top with other half of the
roll. Cut sandwiches in half and serve.

Variations:
The sandwich is delicious made with warm or hot catfish fillets.

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