Fatboy and the Stew

Just the other day I was thinking that some good old fashioned catfish stew would be quite tasty on a cool February evening. As I looked through the pantry for the makins
I thought of my fishing for catfish many years ago.  They were pretty easy to catch and would bite almost anything except live or artificial bait.  I was fishing with some old chicken livers for bait at a farm pond accompanied by my grandmother's dog, a dachshund named Fatboy. Fatboy made an ideal fishing companion.  He was quiet and patient.  He did have one problem, at least for me it was a problem. Fatboy liked to eat fish, especially catfish. When I caught a fish and pulled it to the bank, I had to get to it before Fatboy did. Once I was not quite quick enough. I pulled a little six inch cat to the bank and Fatboy pounced on it. In his ferocious attack on the fish he got the fish hook caught in his mouth.   Can you imagine trying to hold a squirming dachshund while trying to remove a fish hook from his mouth?  It was not a pretty picture and Fatboy never went fishing with me again.

T. Texas Tony's Famous Catfish Stew.

• 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 3 small potatoes 1/2 in. cubed
• 1 onion diced
• 1 clove garlic diced
• 1 bottle beer
• 1 lb. catfish
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 #2 can tomatoes
• 1 cube chicken bullion
• 1 tsp. Old Bay seasonings
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• Hot Sauce (your favorite)

Saute onion and garlic in a little oil.  Add potatoes and beer. Be sure to sample beer to insure that it is good enough to cook with. Cook until potatoes are about half cooked.  Add tomato sauce, tomatoes and 8 oz. of water.  Bring to a boil and add fish and seasonings.  Let simmer until potatoes are cooked and fish flakes.  Add hot sauce to taste. 

Cornbread waffles go real well with this dish.

Fatboy has been long gone to doggie heaven and I think I'll try to cacth some catfish this weekend.