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| Golden pan fried catfish fillet with crisp baby greens and brown rice. |
One of the juicy, inspiring gifts of an empty nest is the big sky freedom to pull up roots and wander. And Darling, have we been wandering. We are gypsies. Moving six times since selling our family home back on Cape Cod five years ago, each time moving south, migrating west. Each time selling off more books, discarding the outworn. Until we reached the sea again.
After years of oceanic dreaming I finally call the beach my home.
I wake to the rhythmic crash of the waves. I open windows and fill the rooms with sea glass sunlight and salt air. My pillows and bedding smell like surf.
I can breathe here. I can paint here. I can cup my hands and carve the space to imagine new things.
The journey here was a twisting road. We were more than once disappointed, looking for tiny clues swept clean by the hot desert winds of New Mexico, clues that teased and preceded us and left the enchanted landscape unforgiving, heavy with the scents of sunlit juniper and sage. We've been told (by those who know such things) that the high desert draws you in with a force, a power that triggers dreams- not the angel-sugared bedtime dreams of lullabies, but the tough stuff. The unconscious. The unknown Self. The shadow.
And that if you falter, if you brace yourself with old defenses and cling to the familiar, she spits you out. And sends you packing (in my case, with three titanium screws drilled into a broken hip).
Did the desert spit us out, or did I simply dream a different dream?
Today it does not matter.
Because this I know. I have begun each day curious. I have listened. And walked. And stared at the horizon. I have read stacks of books and I have cooked. I have kissed and I have cried. And through it all I missed the sea more than I ever could have imagined. My love for her is a daughter's love, her maternal pull is deep and tidal.
So here we are, Steve and I. Miles later. Travelers, both of us. Gypsies. Once again unpacking boxes. One more time wondering if these rooms will fit us. If these walls will shelter us. If this dream come true is the destination we seek- or only the beginning.
Right now my heart is full.
And some ghostly fist inside me has unclenched. I stare at the waves for hours. I walk in the sand.
This is a dream come true. But as a wise soul once said, be careful what you wish for.
You just might get it.
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| Gluten-free golden fried catfish fillet- tender and tasty. |
Gluten-Free Pan Fried Catfish Recipe with Brown Rice and Baby Greens
One of my favorite simple dinners is pan fried catfish. So flavorful. The texture is lovely- flaky, and tender. Here I've made a crumb style coating with three gluten-free flours. The combo of almond meal, coconut flour and brown rice flour creates a light and delicate coating that fries to a crispy golden brown.
Ingredients:
4 (6 to 8-ounce) skinless catfish fillets
1 beaten organic free range egg
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon dried oregano or parsley
1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil, for frying
Lime wedges, for serving
Fresh herb salad greens, for serving
Hot cooked brown rice, seasoned with olive oil and sea salt, for serving
Instructions:
Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper, and place it in a warm oven.
Rinse the catfish fillets briefly in cool water and pat dry.
Place the fillets in a shallow baking dish, in a single layer. Pour the beaten egg mixture over the catfish, and make sure each fillet is evenly coated on both sides. Set aside.
In separate shallow dish, whisk together the almond meal, coconut flour, brown rice flour, smoked paprika, dill, oregano, garlic, and sea salt.
Working with one fillet at a time, remove it from the egg mixture and dredge it in the gluten-free flour mixture to coat both sides. Transfer the coated fillet to a clean plate. Repeat for the remaining fillets.
Heat the light olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add two fillets to the skillet, and fry until the underside is golden and crisp, roughly 4 minutes. Using a thin, flexible spatula, gently turn the fillet over and continue cooking until it is crispy golden brown on the second side, about 3 to 4 minutes more.
Carefully transfer the cooked fillets to a parchment lined baking sheet in a warm oven. Repeat the process with remaining fillets.
Serve the catfish with a crisp, fresh herb salad and hot cooked brown rice. Garnish with fresh lime wedges and snips of fresh dill.
Cook time: 8 min for the catfish
Yield: Serves 4
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