82 JULY | AUGUST 2019
UNAGI CATFISH
1 cup mirin
4 cups sake
1¼ cups soy sauce
2 tablespoons sliced ginger
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
½ cup brown sugar(^2) / (^3) cup dashi
5 pounds catfish filets
For tare sauce, in a stockpot, add mirin and
sake and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and brown sugar,
and bring to a boil. Allow to reduce for 15 min-
utes. Add dashi and reduce for 10 minutes or
until thick and almost syrupy. Strain through a
fine mesh strainer and refrigerate. Sauce will
be syrupy after cooling. Reserve 1 cup. Soak
catfish overnight in refrigerated sauce. Re-
move catfish, reserving sauce. Allow to dry on
a kitchen towel. Prepare charcoal grill. Spray
catfish on bottom with nonstick cooking
spray. Place catfish on very hot grill bottom-
side down and cook for about 5 minutes, be-
ing careful not to burn. While cooking, baste
top-side of fish with reserved sauce using a
basting brush. Spray top again and flip cat-
fish over, cooking for about 5 minutes. When
cooked thoroughly, place bottom-side down
on a sheet pan and place on top of roasting
rack. Heat oven to 500 degrees. Baste tops
of catfish again. Place in hot oven for 5 more
minutes. Remove and baste one more time.
Yield: 12-15 servings
Jesse Houston, Fine & Dandy
CAP’N CRUNCH TENDERS
2 quarts cool water
(^1) / (^3) cup salt
(^2) / (^3) cup sugar
2 pounds chicken tenders
1 box Cap’n Crunch Cereal
In a mixing bowl, mix together water, salt, and
sugar until completely dissolved. Pour over
chicken tenders and allow to brine in refriger-
ator for 4 hours up to overnight. In the bowl
of a food processor, place cereal and pulse
until it reaches a powdery consistency. Pour
into a shallow pan. Drain chicken tenders and
dredge in powder. Fry at 325 degrees for 5
minutes or until an internal thermometer
reaches 165 degrees. Blot on paper towels to
remove excess grease.
Yield: 12-15 servings
Jesse Houston, Fine & Dandy
PIMIENTO MAC & CHEESE
3 ½ quarts water
5 tablespoons kosher salt, divided use
1½ tablespoons blend oil
2 pounds macaroni
¾ cup butter
1 tablespoons garlic, minced
½ teaspoon paprika
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
6½ cups whole milk
1¼ cups smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
3 cups pimiento cheese
In a pot, bring water, 4 tablespoons salt, and oil
to a boil. Add noodles and cook until al dente.
Rinse pasta with cold water; set aside. In a
large pot, melt butter. Add garlic and paprika
and cook until garlic is softened. Add flour and
stir to create a roux. Cook for about 3 to 4
minutes to remove raw flour taste. Add milk
slowly, whisking continuously. Add remain-
ing tablespoon salt and continue to stir until
thickened. Fold in shredded smoked cheddar
cheese in small batches until it is completely
melted. Fold in cooked macaroni and stir until
pasta is evenly coated with sauce. Add pimien-
to cheese in small amounts, stirring gently un-
til incorporated. Serve.
Yield: 12-15 servings
Jesse Houston, Fine & Dandy