Seasoned simply with olive oil, salt and pepper and finished with a sprinkle of lemon juice, Easy Sautéed Catfish is a wonderful quick and easy recipe for busy nights.

When I was younger — probably 8 or 9 — I struggled with the limited array of fish, vegetables and fruit served around my house.

While we ate a diverse selection of meats and poultry, vegetables were limited to standard salad vegetables, corn, peas, green beans, cauliflower and broccoli. Occasionally there would be a Brussels sprout or a bit of asparagus thrown in for good measure, but it was rare. And other than salad, asparagus and Brussels sprouts, vegetables usually came from one of those cardboard boxes in the freezer.

No seasoning. No sauces. Just plain (and dare I say, bland).

I knew there had to be more out there. There had to be some reason why people wanted to eat vegetables. I found it hard to believe that adults would choose to eat such tasteless foods by choice.

I’ve since learned that vegetables don’t have to be flavorless, frozen or bland. There is more fruit than apples and bananas. And, most importantly, salmon and swordfish are not the only types of fish to cook at home.

See? I knew there was more to eating then what I was exposed to.

I tried catfish for the very first time in 2007 and totally fell in love. It’s firm, rich and delicious.

But when you think of making catfish, it’s usually with a breading or some sort of Cajun spices or some mixture of the two. It doesn’t have to be though.

Catfish is one of those fishes that can really stand on its own with minimal seasoning.

This particular method is not only quick and ultra-easy, but it produces an easy and elegant dish with a lovely flavor. This would be great for a meal after a long day of work or when company comes.

My preschool-aged son Will loves Easy Sautéed Catfish and polishes his plate when I serve it. Of course, I silently hope he won’t finish his if you know what I mean — I wanted it all for myself.

I love serving this Easy Sautéed Catfish on a bed of steamed asparagus for a low-calorie meal. Yum. It would also be delightful with steamed green beans.

Easy Sautéed Catfish for Two

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
2 fillets Catfish
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
lemon juice
2 tbsp grated asiago

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Wash catfish fillets. Generously douse with sea salt and pepper. Place in the skillet and saute for about 3 minutes on each side, until the fish is completely opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
Remove catfish from the pan and plate. Sprinkle with lemon juice and sea salt. Place half of the grated asiago beside each piece.
To eat, grab a bit of asiago with each bite.