Oven-Roasted Catfish with a Spicy Creole Tomato Sauce

Recipe courtesy of Harvard University Dining Services
Serves 100
Ingredients:
- Catfish
- 40 pounds catfish fillets (cut in 6-ounce pieces)
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 pounds whole wheat bread crumbs (made from fresh whole wheat bread)
- 2 ounces salt
- 8 ounces paprika
- 2 ounces cayenne pepper
- Spicy Creole Tomato Sauce
- 2 ounces olive oil
- 2 pounds green pepper, chopped
- 2 pounds white onion, chopped
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 #10 can tomatoes, diced (~ 6 pounds)
- 5 pounds tomatoes, chopped
- 64-ounce tomato juice, canned
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 3 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon basil, dried
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 ounces fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes, dried
- 1 ½ pounds scallions, chopped
Preparation:
- Place catfish on sheet pans. Combine remaining ingredients together to make crumb topping. Place some crumb topping on each piece of fish. Bake in a 375 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 20 minutes, until fish reaches internal temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
- For spicy creole tomato sauce, sauté onions and peppers in olive oil for 5 minutes until soft in saucepan over medium heat. Add next 15 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer 45 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in water and add to saucepan. Add fresh thyme and red pepper flakes. Simmer 10 minutes and purée sauce.
- Spoon sauce over fish and garnish with scallions.