Catfish Courtbouillon Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy 5-quart saucepan or enameled Dutch oven until smoking. Add the flour and stir until blended. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth and straw colored, about 3 minutes. Stir in the onion, pepper, garlic and celery. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the butter. Continue cooking until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Meanwhile, bring the fish stock or water to a boil.
• Stir in the tomatoes and their liquid, parsley, bay leaves, thyme and oregano, marjoram or basil to the flour mixture. Add the boiling fish stock, lemon juice and wine and stir gently. Simmer until thickened, 20 to 30 minutes. Add the fish, green onions and cayenne, stir gently and simmer just until the fish layers separate when prodded gently with a fork, about 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning. (It will need salt if water is used.) Serve over rice.

Steps:

• In cast iron skillet, stir together the oil and flour until smooth.
• This is called roux.
• Cook roux over medium heat; stirring constantly until mixture turns a dark brown.
• Be careful, because unstirred roux will burn easily.
• When roux is ready, remove from heat and set aside.
• Using a large pot or dutch oven, combine chicken broth and tomatoes over medium high heat.
• Slowly add the cooked roux, stirring constantly until combined and thickened.
• Add onions, green pepper, celery, garlic, bay leaves and thyme.
• Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.
• Cut fish into bite size pieces and sprinkle with Creole seasoning.
• Add fish pieces to courtbouillon; they should be immersed in the liquid.
• Cover and slow simmer about 15 minutes or until fish is done and flakes easily.
• Serve Catfish Courtbouillon over rice in a bowl.