Katrina, 1-Yr Later, Fishery Failure; Catfish; Vending Machines; Italian Home Cooked; Bocuse d'Or

Hosted by

Laura Avery speaks with a chef Nathan Donahoe, who shows us how to make 5-minute mozzerella using organic unpasturized whole milk. She also talks about a fabulous new peach variety.


Jacques Leonardi, chef of the beloved New Orlean's restaurant Jacques-Imo's speaks with Evan about how Katrina has changed New Orleans and why there's a reason for hope. He also remembers Chef Austin Leslie with whom Jacques worked with side-by-side at Jacques-Imo's for five years, beginning in 1996. His signature dishes are still at the heart of the menu, and Jacques has added his own modern tastes to the recipes. Leslie was previously the owner and chef of Chez Helene, a New Orleans hideaway that drew people from around the city to the gritty low-income neighborhood for his fried chicken, stuffed peppers, gumbo and variety of seafood dishes. Leslie and Chez Helene inspired the 1980's television show Frank's Place, starring Tim Reid (of WKRP fame). After Katrina, Austin was stuck on the roof of his house for days. Finally finally rescued and taken to the Superdome, then Atlanta, he passed away one month later from a heart attack. The city celebrated his life, with at least 3 funerals in New Orleans and Atlanta in his honor.


Adrian Miller of the Southern Food Alliance describes the relationship between African Americans and the history of the cat fish. John T. Edge, director of the Southern Foodways Alliance, tells us a bit about the catfish from his Southern food lover's point of view. He tells us how his momma liked it and how the catfish industry is finding new ways to innovatively market the cat. For more information and recipes visit the websites of the Catfish Institute and the Tennessee Aquarium. Here are a few to get you started:

Grilled Catfish With Mango Salsa

Fillets serve 4; Salsa yields about 2 cups

For fillets:

  • 4 US farm-raised catfish fillets
  • 2 tsps olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
For salsa:
  • 1 cup mango, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup papaya, peeled and diced
  • 1 Tablespoon minced green onion
  • 1 Tablespoon minced red jalapeño
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
    1. For fillets: Preheat grill. Rinse fillets and pat dry. Brush each fillet with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Combine seasonings and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of mixture on the rounded side of each fillet. Grill fillets over high heat, rounded side down, for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn fillets over and grill for 3 to 4 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with Mango Salsa.
    2. For salsa: Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to serve.

    Broiled Teriyaki Catfish With Wasabi Cucumber Salad

    Serves 4

    • 3 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce
    • 1 1/2 tsps wasabi powder
    • 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
    • 2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
    • 1/3 cup fat free sour cream
    • 4 U.S. farm raised catfish fillets
    • Cilantro leaves for garnish (optional)
    1. Preheat broiler.
    2. For the teriyaki marinade, stir together the teriyaki sauce, wasabi powder, and rice wine vinegar in a small bowl. Set marinade aside for 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
    3. For the cucumber mixture, stir together 1 tablespoon of the teriyaki marinade with the cucumber in a medium bowl; add sour cream. Set aside.
    4. Brush both sides of the catfish fillets with remaining teriyaki marinade, and place on an oiled baking pan. Broil about 4 inches from heat for about 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
    5. Top the broiled fillets with cucumber mixture. Garnish generously with cilantro leaves. Serve with steamed green beans.
    Recipe by 2000 World Catfish Festival Cook-off runner-up Elizabeth Terry, Elizabeth on 37th, Savannah, GA.


    In California the salmon fishery has just been declared a failure by US Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez. Zeke Grader , executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, an organization of commercial fishing groups throughout California, explains what this means as well as why overfishing isn't the culprit.


    Michael Kasavna tells us all about vending machines and the surprising number of fatalities caused by these beloved snack servers each year.


    John Willoughby , editor of Gourmet magazine tells us how you can eat home cooked meals when you travel to Italy. Check out the September issue of Gourmet for more information and this Home Cooking website.


    The Bocuse d'Or is a highly revered competition, covered by over 900 media, in which chefs from 24 countries have five and a half hours to prepare the best dishes in the world. Winning is considered a milestone achievement in a chef's career. Gavin Kaysen, chef de cuisine at El Bizcocho won the American finals in May 2006 and will represent the United States in the worldwide finals in Lyon, France, in January.