Redfish Courtbouillon & Creole Sauce

Redfish Courtbouillon

Whip up a new dish for your family with the Herald-Guide’s Recipe of the Week.

Ingredients:

• 2 whole redfish, red snapper or other firm- fleshed fish (scaled, gutted and trimmed of all fins)
• 1 cup flour, liberally seasoned with salt, pepper and cayenne
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 recipe Creole sauce (see recipe below), made with fish stock, and made extra thick
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 2 bunches fresh thyme, 1/2 of which tied tightly with butcher’s twine
• 1 bay leaf
• boiled long-grain rice

Directions:

1. Season the fish all over including in the cavity with salt, black pepper and a little cayenne.

2. Place some of the sliced lemon and half of the thyme into the cavity of each fish.

3. Dredge the fish in the seasoned flour and warm the unsalted butter in a large cast iron skillet.

4. When the butter begins to brown place the fish in the pan, cook until golden brown on both sides.

5. Remove the fish to a plate and de-glaze the pan with the white wine. When the wine reduces slightly, add the fish back to the pan and ladle enough Creole sauce to come up the sides of the fish by half, plus ladle a little on top of the fish.

6. Add the thyme and bay leaf to the pan and place some of the lemon slices on top of the fish. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil and place into a 350 degree over for 30 minutes.

7. When plating, carefully remove the fish and filet gently, being careful to get rid of all of the bones. An alternate method would be to filet the fish raw and use the head and bones to make your fish stock.

8. Serve with boiled rice and garnish with chopped parsley, lemon slices, and a generous helping of the Creole Sauce from the pan.

Serves 2-4 depending on the size of your fish.

Creole Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, julienned
• 2 stalks celery, julienned
• 1 small bell pepper, julienned
• 1 tbsp. garlic, minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14 1/2 oz.)
• Stock to cover, about 2 cups
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt, black pepper, thyme, cayenne, white pepper – all to taste
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Hot sauce, to taste
• 2 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 3 thinly sliced green onions
• Corn starch slurry (2 tbsp. corn starch mixed with 2 tbsp. water) or dark roux depending on the dish

Directions:
1. Heat the oil over medium heat, add the thyme and saute until slightly wilted.

2. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. Cover with the stock by 1/2 inch, add bay leaves and a small amount of seasoning, bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer.

3. If using a roux, add it at this point. Not too much, maybe 1 to 2 tbsp. If it gets too thick, add a little stock or water. It should be loose but not too watery. Simmer about 20 minutes. Add the seasonings and hot sauce to taste.

4. Add the Worcestershire sauce, parsley and green onions.

5. If using the slurry, bring to a boil then add the slurry, a little at a time until it is the right consistency. It should be tight, but not watery. Not too thick, not too thin. Remove the bay leaves.