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Catfish Steak with Red-Wine Demi-Glaze, Bacon, Mushrooms and Pearl Onions

INGREDIENTS:24 6-oz. U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish steaks
1 lb., 8 oz. (24 slices) bacon, sliced
to taste, salt and ground black pepper
as needed, all-purpose flour
½ cup butter, unsalted
1½ qts. mushrooms, white, quartered
96 onions, pearl, blanched and peeled
3 cups red wine
3 cups demi-glaze, veal
2 Tbsp. thyme, fresh leaves
1½ gal. puréed potatoes
3 qts. sautéed escarole or spinach
for garnish, parsley, flat-leaf, minced DIRECTIONS:Wrap bacon around outside of catfish steaks. Secure each one with a piece of butcher’s twine. Season fish with salt and pepper and dredge them in flour. In large skillet, heat butter until bubbly; brown steaks on one side. Turn and add the mushrooms and pearl onions to the pan. Place in 375°F conventional or 325°F convection oven and continue cooking until fish is cooked through to an internal temperature of 145°F. Remove pan from oven and the fish from the pan. Place catfish steaks in warm steamtable pan. Cover and keep warm while you finish the sauce.

Place the skillet over high heat, deglaze pan with the red wine and reduce by 3/4. Add demi-glaze and continue to reduce until the sauce is thick, 4-5 minutes. Add thyme leaves, and season to taste.

To serve: Carefully remove the vertabral bone from the catfish steak. Remove the string. Pipe 1 cup pureed potatoes on a warm dinner plate and place a ½ cup mound of sauteed escarole or spinach on top. Place the catfish steak on the plate, next to the potatoes and spoon the onion-mushroom sauce around catfish. Drizzle fish with sauce and chopped parsley. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: SERVINGS:24 servings From:Chef Frank Costantino, Brooklyn, N.Y PHOTO CREDIT:Photo Credit: THE CATFISH INSTITUTE