With just two or three weeks left before grape harvest, I’m praying for dry weather and no fruit beetles. After watching the weather report, I believe dry weather is a given. Fruit beetles, on the other hand, are harder to predict. It only takes one beetle to find the vineyard inviting and the next thing you know, all of its friends show up.

I spend most of my free time walking the rows, shaking the trellis wires and listening for their buzz. While doing that I take the opportunity to get rid of wasp nests since it’s easier to harvest when pickers aren’t getting stung. I’m also on the constant look-out for bird nests. I pull those out while they are being built because I don’t have the heart to do it once babies are hatched. For some reason, wasp babies don’t pull at my heartstrings.

Life becomes so much easier for me after harvest. Hopefully I’ll be able to catch up on weeding my gardens, cleaning the house – and the chicken coop – and finishing the many projects on my “to do” list.

My friend, Catfish Tommy, brought me two quart-sized freezer bags of catfish filets. I tried two recipes that I think are good enough to share.

Baked Catfish with Tomatoes and Eggplant
1 eggplant, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. capers
1/2 c. black olives, sliced
28 oz. canned tomatoes
2 tsp. sugar
6 catfish filets

In a large sauce pan, sauté eggplant, onions and garlic in olive oil. Add spices and cook until the onions are translucent. Add capers, black olives, tomatoes and sugar. Continue to cook until heated through.

Prepare a baking pan with cooking spray. Layer half the eggplant and tomato sauce evenly in the bottom of the dish. Next layer the fish filets. Then top those with the remaining sauce. Cover with foil and bake in a 400-degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes and serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

For a lighter option, try the following Asian-inspired recipe.

Catfish over Rice Noodles
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 strips of lemon rind
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 lb. catfish, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. salt

In a sealable bag, mix the garlic, lemon rind, pepper flakes, onion, fish sauce, ginger, sugar, turmeric and catfish together. Let marinate for 4 hours.

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet. Remove the lemon rind from the bag and pour the catfish and remaining marinade into the skillet. Add salt and cook until the catfish browns on each side.

Serve over prepared rice noodles and garnish with chopped basil, cilantro, parsley and green onions.