Sautéed Catfish With Ginger Peach Sauce

You may use 1-1/2 cup peeled sliced fresh peaches instead of the canned peaches.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; add ginger and stir 1 minute. If using fresh peaches, add and cook, stirring occasionally, until peaches are fork tender, about 2 minutes. Add canned peaches, if using, and preserves; stir until jam melts. Stir in catsup, vinegar and hot pepper sauce. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor and whirl until peaches are coarsely chopped. (Sauce can be cooled and refrigerated up to 2 weeks) To serve, warm sauce, stirring, in a sauce pan over medium heat.

Makes about 2 cups.

In a medium size bowl or pie plate, combine flour, thyme, salt and pepper. Rinse fish and pat dry. Dredge fish in flour mixture; shake off excess and lay fillets in a single layer on a plate. In a 10 to 12 inch frying pan over medium heat, heat oil and butter; add pecans and stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer nuts to paper towels to drain. Add fish to pan, without overlapping (you may need to cook in 2 batches) Cook until fish is crisp and golden on bottom, about 4 minutes; turn fillets over and cook until fish is opaque and tender in center of thickest area, another 4 minutes. Transfer fish briefly to paper towels to drain then arrange on plates. Spoon about 3 Tablespoons warm Ginger Peach Sauce over each serving; sprinkle with pecans.

Makes 4 servings.

Ginger Peach Sauce is a nice counterpoint to the savory crispness of the fish. Keep some around to try with fried catfish, fried oysters or grilled shrimp.