U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish Manicotti
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish filets or strips
1 package manicotti noodles, boiled in a large pot of salted water until done
1/4 stick butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
8-ounce package sliced mushrooms, coarsely chopped
6-ounce package baby spinach, coarsely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs, toasted
8-ounce package sliced mozzarella
Cheese sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Begin by preparing the cheese sauce. In a medium saucepan, cook the butter and flour on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes. Whisk in the remaining ingredients for the sauce and simmer until thickened. Set aside but keep mixture warm. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the catfish in a baking pan and season with salt and pepper. Bake the fish about 25 minutes until done. Flip the fish over about half way so the bottom won't be soggy. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Once the fish is cool, break into smaller pieces. While the fish is baking, add the butter, onions, mushrooms, and garlic to a skillet. Sauté until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add In the spinach and cook about 5 more minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, 1 cup of parmesan cheese, and breadcrumbs. Add in vegetable mixture. Lastly, gently fold in the catfish pieces being careful to not over mix. Transfer the catfish mixture to a large Ziplock bag and cut off a good portion of a corner. Transfer the cheese sauce to an 8 1/2 X 11 greased baking dish. Squeeze the Ziplock and gently pipe each manicotti with the catfish mixture before placing them into the cheese sauce. Top each manicotti with the remaining parmesan and the sliced mozzarella. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Cool a bit before serving.
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