Catfish Banh Mi: Vietnamese Catfish Po-Boy

* Available in Asian markets.

In a blender, mix the lime juice, soy sauce, rice syrup, vegetable and sesame oils, garlic, and ginger on high speed for 10 seconds.

In a bowl, combine the radishes and carrots with 1/2 cup of the lime juice mixture. Toss and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Cut each baguette in half lengthwise without cutting all the way through. Scoop out about 1/2-inch of the soft dough inside both sides of the bread. Spread each side with the lime juice mixture and top with the baked catfish. Drain the shredded vegetables and arrange on top of the fish. Lay the cilantro and peppers over the vegetables. Cover with the top piece of bread, pressing down to seal. Slice each sandwich on the bias into 2-inch thick pieces, getting about 15 mini-sandwiches per baguette.

For the Baked Catfish: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse catfish under cold running water and pat dry. Lightly coat a large non-reactive baking dish with the vegetable oil and set aside. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, lime zest, and cayenne, and stir well to mix. Lay the catfish in the prepared dish. Pour the soy sauce mixture over the fish to coat but not saturate. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bake until the fish is tender, opaque and starts to flake with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before making the sandwiches.

This recipe yields 30 mini-sandwiches, 8 to 12 servings.