Will Welch's Blackening Nobody, to my knowledge, has died from eating this dish (though the cooking process itself is hazardous) 4 catfish fillets olive oil 1/3 lb cheap fatty bacon 2 t each of: garlic powder thyme white pepper black pepper cayenne pepper lemon pepper cumin or chili powder rosemary (crush in hand before adding) fennel seed (crush with back of spoon) 1 t allspice 1 t oregano 1/2 t salt First off, you should cook this in a well-ventilated kitchen. Fry the bacon, then feed it to the dogs and hang onto the grease. Keep it just this side of smoking. Combine all dry ingredients, rub fillets with olive oil then coat liberally with spices. Drop in hot grease and cook until a you can easily put a fork through them (nothing more evil than overcooked catfish). Serve with lemon butter, below: 1/4 c melted butter, 1 T lemon juice, 1/2 t tobasco sliced green onions (note: This is a very robust recipe. I have varied proportions by as much as 100%, and left out ingredients entirely, with varying, interesting, but never disastrous effect.)