Mexican Broiled Catfish

Note from Cheri: The recipe and photo below are reprinted with permission from Fast Fish by Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison (2005 Ten Speed Press). Every dish in these pages is ultra quick and easy to prepare and uses easy to find ingredients. Despite their speedy preparation, the flavors of the finished dishes are outstanding, due in no small part to the fact that fish almost always tastes better when cooked for short amounts of time. For more information about this terrific book, along with another sample recipe, click here.

1/2 cup chopped vine-ripened tomatoes 1/3 cup chopped cilantro sprigs 2-3 tablespoons roasted garlic 2 teaspoons minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 ripe avocado 4 (6-ounce) catfish filets

Serves 4 In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, chiles, cumin, and salt and stir well. The marinade can be covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours before using. Place the fish in a baking dish and add the marinade. Turn the fish to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 5 to 15 minutes. Line a baking dish with aluminum foil. Place the fish, flat side down, on the aluminum foil. Position an oven rack 4 inches from the heating element and turn the oven to broil. Immediately place the fish in the oven and cook for about 4 minutes, until it begins to brown. The flesh should flake easily when prodded with a fork. If the fish is not done, turn the oven to bake at 300° F and cook for about 2 minutes. Check again for doneness. Serve immediately.