Catfish Roasted With Sesame Seeds, Basil, Garlic and Spinach

So a group of us got together to do a formal 9 course dinner this weekend and I brought the fish course. I had about 10+ pounds of catfish in my freezer someone had given me and I finally had something I could do with them. I got on the Good Eats fan boards and requested ideas and someone gave a link to the Catfish Institute where they had a lot of yummy recipes.

Now this dinner was going to be fun as I needed to make sure the dish was gluten-free, lactose intolerant friendly and can be adapted for someone who was on a seriously restricted sodium diet. This dish filled the bill.

I picked up wheat free tamari (soy sauce) and for the one portion that needed sodium control, eliminated the tamari. It is so flavorful the person never noticed the lack of the tamari. Everyone who had it cleaned their plates, including the one person who didn't really care for fish. This recipe will go in my permanent file. I wonder what it would be like with other kinds of fish.

Catfish Roasted With Sesame Seeds, Basil, Garlic and Spinach

4 4- to 6-ounce U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish fillets, 1/2 inch thick
1/2 10-ounce bag washed spinach, coarse stems removed, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh basil or Italian parsley
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons brown mustard
1 tablespoon sesame oil (available in the Asian food section of most supermarkets)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup white or black sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place catfish fillets on an oiled baking pan. Tuck a handful of spinach under each fillet. Fold under about 2 inches of the thin end of each fillet to enclose spinach at one end.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together basil or parsley, garlic, mustard, oils, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Spread mixture over catfish. Sprinkle heavily with sesame seeds and lightly with cayenne pepper. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Makes 4 servings.