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America's Best Teen Chef

Pan Fried Catfish with Ginger Sweet Potato Cakes, Maque Choux Relish and Saut?ed Asparagus
Ashly Kissman
Pan Fried Catfish with Ginger Sweet Potato Cakes, Maque Choux Relish and Saut?ed Asparagus

Kansas City's Sammy Jo Claussen was recently named the Best Teen Chef of 2009, at a national competition held in Charlotte, NC. Find out how to make her award-winning meal and hear how she began cooking as early as age seven.By Annie Walsh

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/national/local-national-856453.mp3

According to author Michael Pollan, Americans now spend twice as much time watching cooking shows than actually cooking. But nineteen-year-old Sammy Jo Claussen proves the exception to the rule. The Shawnee Mission North High School graduate was recently named the nation's Best Teen Chef of 2009), and is now beginning her freshmen year at the (International Culinary School at the Art Institutes International - Kansas City).

Slideshow: America's Best Teen Chef

Recipe:
(Serves 2)

Pan Fried Catfish
Cornmeal Breading
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons old bay seasoning
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 each 5 ounce catfish fillets

Mix all breading ingredients; dredge both sides of the catfish in seasoned flour. Melt butter and oil in large saut? pan, place fish in hot pan and cook until golden brown, turn fish and place pan in 325 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes until fish is done.

Ginger Sweet Potato Cakes
1 each small sweet potato, about 8 ounces, peeled
1 inch piece whole ginger, peeled
2 ounce cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Grate sweet potato and cheddar cheese on large holes of box grater into mixing bowl, mince 1 teaspoons ginger on with chef knife, add flour, egg, salt and pepper and mix well. Divide sweet potato mixture into four equal portions, 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches round. Melt butter and oil in large saut? pan, in hot pan, cook until golden brown on both sides, place pan in 325 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes until potato is cooked through.

Maque Choux
1 ear fresh sweet corn
1/4 cup onion, 1/4 inch diced
1/4 cup red pepper, 1/4 inch diced
1/4 cup green pepper, 1/4inch diced
1 each roma tomato, peeled seeded and 1/4inch diced
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and black pepper to taste

Remove corn from cob and scrape cob to remove juice. Melt butter in large saut? pan, saut? onion and both peppers until tender, add corn, tomatoes and chicken stock and simmer for 5 minutes until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Saut?ed Green Beans
4 ounces green beans, ends trimmed
2 ounces button mushroom sliced
1 teaspoon butter

Blanch green beans in boiling water until tender, shock in ice bath and reserve. Melt butter in large pan and saut? mushrooms add green beans and heat through, season with salt and pepper.

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