Rick Moonen's Catfish Sloppy Joes

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb catfish fillet, cut into 1/3 inch pieces
• coarse salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup minced onion
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup clam juice
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• pepper

Recipe

• 1 to make the sloppy (bbq sauce) heat a saucepan over medium high heat and add the oil, onion, garlic, and thyme and a pinch of salt
• 2 cook stirring often until the onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
• 3 meanwhile, combine the sugar and water in a skillet over medium high heat.
• 4 cook, stirring the sugar in the skillet until the caramel is dark brown.
• 5 add the vinegar and clam juice and simmer until caramel is dissolved.
• 6 add the caramel clam juice mixture along with the ketchup, tabasco, worcestershire and pepper to the onions and simmer for 20 minutes (sauce can be made in advance).
• 7 for the joe (fish) heat a saucepan over medium high heat.
• 8 when the pan is hot add the oil, pepper, and onion and cook until soft.
• 9 add the paprika and saute for 1 minute.
• 10 add the catfish and saute for 1 minute.
• 11 add the bbq sauce and bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook 6-7 minutes.
• 12 meanwhile, butter the buns and toast them on a hot skillet.
• 13 serving suggestion: pile potato chips and pickles on the buns for crunch and then pile them high with the catfish sloppy joe.