HomePage :: CajunRecipes :: RedfishCourtbouillon
A cousin was asking for a good courtbouillion recipe, so I thought I'd dash this off…
Let me first say if if you're using catfish, do yourself a favor and throw out the catfish.
Find you some drum or redfish, salt water gar or even flounder. Catfish tastes nasty, sorry.
Oh, and if your fish smells fishy, it ain't fresh, and lemon juice only masks the smell.
Fresh fish doesn't need any lemon juice, nor is fish supposed to taste like lemon, believe it or not.
They say first, you make a roux
. You can make one later, but first take those fish bones and make a stock.
Brown a lot of onions, celery and bell pepper (see Jambalaya).
Don't listen to YWES or whoever came up with the term trinity
... it's blaspehmous.
I really have no idea why good Catholics in South Louisiana allowed themselves to be talked into
using that term. I don't have to tell you to drain all that grease once your onions are done, do I?
We always made a tomato-based courtbouillon, so why do any different now? Simmer tomato paste and sauce
(Contadina and Del Monte, respectively), with that roux you were supposed to have made, along with
garlic, oregano, thyme, basil, cayenne, bay leaf and your stock. And don't be stingy with any of those
seasonings, hear? Oh yeah, and make sure you use black pepper and salt, too, plus a tablespoon or two
of onion powder (trust me on this). Seriously, let that simmer for at least an hour and a half.
Start cooking your rice. Once that's turned down, gently place your fish fillets into the simmering pot.
Don't stir. Once your rice is done, so is the fish.
Mais, get a bowl and eat, neg.