Roast Catfish or Other Fillets with Sauerkraut and Bacon
This dish sparks a vision of an ice fisher on a frozen Eastern European lake, bringing home a fresh carp, combining it with two of that region’s winter staples—bacon and sauerkraut—and roasting it over a hot fire. What a treat that must have been and what a relief from what might have been months without any fresh meat or fish at all. It’s a great dish in a warm winter kitchen in the twenty-first century, too. Use sauerkraut that is fresh or packed in plastic (never canned), which contains no more than cabbage and salt; real sauerkraut needs no preservatives. Serve the dish with mashed or boiled potatoes.
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 500°F. Put the bacon in a skillet and over medium heat cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon renders its fat and becomes crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 2
Toss the sauerkraut with half the paprika and half the bacon, with some of its fat, then spread this along the bottom of a roasting pan or casserole.
Step 3
Brush the fish with a little bacon fat, then season it on all sides with salt, pepper, and the remaining paprika. Place on top of the sauerkraut and roast, uncovered, for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining bacon and cook until the fish is white throughout, about 5 minutes more. Serve immediately.
