Dish of Creole Catfish with Rice
(click to enlarge)

Creole Catfish in Court Bouillon


USA - Louisiana

Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  
4 main
***
1-3/4 hrs
Part
A delicious, easy to make fish stew. This method is used in Louisiana and the Caribbean for other types of fish as well, steaks and fillets. Yes, it really is "Court Bullion, see Comments.




3
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1
1/4
tt
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1
8
6
6
2
2
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3
3
ar
3
1
2
1/2

#
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t
t

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#
oz
oz
oz
oz
cl
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T
T




t

Catfish whole (1)  
-- Seasoning
Salt
Pepper black
Red Pepper flakes
-- Bouillon
Tomatoes ripe
Onions
Celery stalks
Bell Pepper green  
Parsley sprigs
Garlic
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Oil
Flour
Stock or Water
Lemon slice
Bay Leaf
Thyme sprigs
Salt

Prep   -   (55 min - 25 min work)
  1. Cut CATFISH into segments about 1 inch thick. Tumble with Salt, Pepper and Chili Flake until well distributed. Set aside for about 45 minutes. You can simmer the head and tail to make a light stock to enrich the court bouillon if you wish - see Method.
  2. Scald TOMATOES one minute in boiling water. Quench in cold water and peel. Cut into 1/2 inch dice.
  3. Blast BELL PEPPER with your Kitchen Torch and brush the skins off under running water (see Note-2). Core and cut into small dice.
  4. Dice ONIONS and CELERY small. Chop PARSLEY and GARLIC small. Mix all with Bell Pepper.
Run   -   (45 min)
  1. In a heavy bottom pan (this recipe will fit nicely in a 3-1/2 quart sauté pan) heat Oil and fry Flour slowly, stirring until it reaches the color of peanut butter. Then stir in the Onion mix.
  2. Fry the Onion mix over moderate heat, stirring for 2 minutes, until it's all evenly coated with the oil. Stir in the Tomatoes. Cook stirring often until vegetables are wilted down but still quite firm - don't overcook. Do scrape the bottom so nothing sticks.
  3. Take off the heat. Remove somewhat over half the vegetables and set aside. Arrange the Catfish chunks in the pan. Add Lemon Slices, Bay Leaf, Thyme and Salt. Pour the removed vegetables back in and work them around the fish. Add just enough stock or water to come up near the surface of the vegetables - not too much.
  4. Bring just to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover tightly and simmer slowly until the fish flakes easily, about 10 minutes. You can shake the pan to keep things freed up but do not stir, it'll break up the fish.
  5. Serve with plenty of steamed rice.
NOTES:
  1. Catfish:

      3 pounds of whole catfish yields a little over 2 pounds of segments without the head or tail. This presumes a factory cleaned catfish (the way they are most often sold in North America) - else get a 3-1/4 pound fish. For details of preparation see our Channel Catfish page.
  2. Bell Pepper:

      Blasting and skinning the Bell Pepper is optional, but if this recipe will be reheated, it is less optional, and will prevent annoying loose skins.
  3. Comments:

      "Purists" aside, this technically is fish poached in court bouillon, even though the vegetables and liquid are served with the fish, unlike the Classic French court bouillon, which is discarded. The method shown here is also often used in France.
  4. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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