Chef wins contest with a new twist on a southern favorite. (Best of show: public relations).(Brief Article)(Recipe)

At the 26th Annual World Catfish Festival in Belzoni, Miss., in April 2001, celebrity chefs from notable restaurants throughout the country gathered for a cook-off contest and demonstrated some unexpected and extraordinarily tasty recipes featuring U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish. The contest pitted four chefs' talents against one another to prepare their favorite non-traditional, non-fried U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish recipe.

Mark Militello of Mark's Las Olas in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., took first place at the contest with his "Crispy U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish with Key Lime-Mustard Sauce." The recipe featured U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish prepared in a blend of white and black quinoa, complemented with a key lime-mustard sauce.

"A recipe can only be as good as the ingredients you use," said Militello. "U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish is produced under the highest quality standards, so it lends itself well to a wide variety of recipes and flavors."

MARK MILITELLO'S CRISPY U.S. FARM-RAISED CATFISH WITH KEY LIME-MUSTARD SAUCE

Catfish

4 U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish fillets (4-6 ounces each, 1/2-inch thick) 1 cup clarified butter *

 
Crust 
 
1/2 pound black quinoa (substitute 
with white quinoa, if necessary) 
1/2 pound white quinoa 
1 cup milk 
6 eggs 
2 cups flour 
Salt and pepper, to taste 
Sauce 
 
1/2 cup Gulden's Spicy Brown 
    Mustard 
1/2 ...