Indulged in a catfish dinner lately? Here's a good excuse to set the table. Once a staple of Southern cuisine, catfish is now available across the country and is farm-raised, guaranteeing a consistent year-round supply. It's relatively inexpensive, too, especially when compared to deep-water fish caught halfway round the world. And because it has somewhat more fat than other fish, catfish takes well to bold seasonings and marinades. We feel it was overdue to undergo a culinary makeover.

Our mix-and-match menu is authentic enough to tempt a Rocky Top Tennessean yet so updated that even those north of the Mason-Dixon Line will crave our jazzed-up grits rendition. We give you a choice of catfish, a cool summer salad or spicy greens, hopped-up corn bread, some astonishingly atypical sweet potatoes, and dessert that melds North (maple syrup) and South (bourbon). And all of this delicious, rib-sticking fare is light enough to take a load off your belt buckle as well as your mind.

Mix-and-Match Catfish Dinner
Oven-Fried Catfish or Poached Cajun Catfish

Black-Eyed Pea Salad With Sour Cream Dressing or Chile-Vinegar Turnip Greens

Chipotle-Maple Sweet Potatoes or Grilled Bacon-and-Herb Grit Cakes

Jalapeno Corn Bread

Apples Baked in Phyllo With Pear-and-Pecan Filling