Baked Catfish Creole

FOR SAUCE
3/4 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup diced garlic
2 each bay leaves
2 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 cup fish stock
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 pinch dry thyme
1 pinch dry basil
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1  salt and cracked black
1  pepper to taste

FOR COOKING
4 each 5-8 oz catfish fillets
1 cup 90-110 count shrimp (peeled
1  and deveined)
1  reserved creole sauce
4 cup cooked white rice
1/4 cup chopped parsley

FOR SAUCE: 
In a two quart heavy sauce pan, melt butter over mediumhigh heat. Saute onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic and bay leaves
until vegetables are wilted, approximately three to five minutes. Add
tomato sauce and fish stock, bring to a low boil, reduce to simmer
and cook thirty minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sugar, thyme,
basil, green onions and parsley. Continue to cook ten additional
minutes and season to taste using salt and pepper. Remove from heat
and set aside.
FOR COOKING: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place
catfish fillets in an ovenproof casserole dish large enough to hold
the four fillets. Sprinkle the shrimp evenly over the top of the
fillets. Spoon the Creole sauce generously until fish and shrimp are
well covered. Place covered baking dish in oven and cook
approximately thirty minutes or until fish is done. Heat rice under
hot tap water and place an equal amount in the center of each serving
plate. Serve catfish Creole on top of white rice and garnish with
chopped parsley. This dish may also be served over pasta.