Catfish Orleans Recipe

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed rice, 2 cups water and 0.25 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15–18 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 5 minutes; fluff with a fork.

Pat catfish fillets dry with paper towels. Pat shrimp dry and keep chilled until ready to batter. Measure and organize all spices and mise en place for étouffée.

In a sauté pan or medium saucepan, melt 4 tbs butter with 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, green pepper, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6–8 minutes.

Add minced garlic and 1 tablespoon tomato paste; cook 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons flour and stir to combine; cook 2–3 minutes to remove raw flour taste, stirring constantly to form a light roux.

Slowly whisk in 2 cups chicken stock until smooth. Add bay leaf, 0.5 tsp thyme, 0.5 tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp hot sauce. Simmer gently 8–10 minutes to thicken and develop flavor.

Stir in crawfish tails and simmer 3–4 minutes just to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning. If you like, sprinkle 0.5 tsp file powder and stir in for a slightly thicker, earthy finish (do not boil after adding file). Remove bay leaf.

Stir in chopped parsley and sliced green onions, keep warm on very low heat while you finish the fish and shrimp.

Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a skillet or small pot to 350°F (180°C). If you don't have a thermometer, a small drop of batter should sizzle and float immediately.

In a bowl, whisk together 0.75 cup flour, 0.25 cup cornstarch, 0.5 tsp baking powder, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Pour in 0.5 cup cold club soda or beer and stir just until a slightly lumpy batter forms; do not overmix—batter should be cold and airy.

Working in batches, dip shrimp into batter, letting excess drip off, then carefully lower into hot oil. Fry 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove to a paper-towel-lined rack to drain and keep warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) if desired.

Prepare the blackening spice blend by combining 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp paprika, 0.5 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 0.5 tsp dried thyme and 0.5 tsp dried oregano. Divide the blend if you're doing both cooking styles.

Blackened catfish

For blackened fillets: heat 2 tbs neutral oil or clarified butter in a heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) over medium-high until just smoking. Rub fillets on both sides with a light coating of the spice blend. Place fillets in the hot pan and cook 3–4 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until a dark crust forms and fish flakes easily with a fork. Finish with 1 tbs butter on top of each fillet for gloss, if desired. Keep warm.

Fried catfish

For fried fillets: heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a skillet to 350°F (180°C). In a shallow bowl combine 1 cup flour, 0.5 cup cornmeal, and 1 tsp of the salt from the spice blend plus 0.5 tsp black pepper and 0.5 tsp paprika. Dredge each fillet in the dry mix, shaking off excess, then carefully fry 3–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (internal temp 145°F / 63°C). Drain on paper towels and keep warm.

Divide the cooked rice among 4 plates (about 1/4 cup cooked rice per serving if making 4 servings; adjust amount to preference).

Place one catfish fillet over each bed of rice. Spoon 3/4 to 1 cup warm crawfish étouffée over and around the fillet so it partially covers the fish and rice.

Top each plate with 3 hand-battered shrimp (arrange on top of fillet or to the side). Garnish with sliced green onions, chopped parsley, and a lemon wedge. Serve immediately with additional hot sauce on the side.