CATFISH WITH CROUTONS AND NUTS

Catfish With Croutons And Nuts image

Provided by Jacques Pepin

Time 12m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

3 tablespoons canola or sunflower oil
1 piece of French bread (about 2 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch croutons (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup walnut pieces (or another variety of nut)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
6 catfish fillets (6 to 8 ounces each), with skin removed and some white fatty tissue cut off
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed and chopped fine (about 1 tablespoon)
1/4 cup chopped chives or parsley
4 tablespoons water
Red-wine vinegar (optional)

Steps:

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet. When hot, add the croutons and nuts and saute them for about 4 minutes, until nicely browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
In same skillet, heat butter and olive oil. Sprinkle fish fillets on both sides with salt and pepper, and place them in one layer in the skillet. Saute 1 1/2 minutes on each side until the fish is just cooked in center.
Arrange catfish on a platter or divide it among individual plates. Add garlic and chives to the drippings in the skillet and cook about 15 seconds. Then, add the water to the skillet and stir to dissolve all the solidified bits in the bottom of the pan.
To serve, pour the resulting pan sauce over the fish, spoon on the croutons and nuts, and serve immediately, sprinkling the fish, if desired, with a little red-wine vinegar.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 408, UnsaturatedFat 18 grams, Carbohydrate 7 grams, Fat 27 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 32 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 465 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 0 grams