Catfish Orleans Recipe

Rinse the rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice, 2 cups water and 0.25 tsp salt in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and keep warm.

When ready to serve, spoon 3/4 to 1 cup of cooked rice onto each plate. Reserve space on top for catfish and crawfish étouffée. Garnish plates with lemon wedges and chopped parsley or green onions.

In a medium saucepan or sauté pan, melt 3 tbs butter with 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, bell pepper and celery (the Holy Trinity) and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6–8 minutes.

Add minced garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle 2 tbs flour over the vegetables and stir to combine, cooking 1–2 minutes to remove raw flour taste (this creates a light roux).

Slowly whisk in 1 cup chicken broth until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 3–4 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.

Add crawfish tails, 1 tsp Creole seasoning, 1 tsp Worcestershire, 0.5 tsp hot sauce, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Simmer gently 4–6 minutes until crawfish are heated through and flavors meld. Stir in chopped parsley and sliced green onions. Keep warm on low heat while you cook the fish and shrimp.

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper.

In a bowl, whisk together 0.75 cup flour, 2 tbs cornstarch, 0.5 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and whisk in 0.5 cup cold club soda or beer until combined. Pour the wet into the dry and stir briefly — batter should be slightly lumpy and cold.

Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, oil should sizzle when a drop of batter is added.

Working in a single layer, dip each shrimp into the batter, letting excess drip off, then carefully lower into hot oil. Fry 2–3 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. Remove to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain. Keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven if needed and cook remaining shrimp in batches to avoid crowding.

Pat catfish fillets dry and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper.

For blackened (pan-seared) method: combine 2 tbs blackening seasoning with a little extra paprika if desired. Generously coat both sides of each fillet with the seasoning. Heat 4 tbs vegetable oil and 1 tbs butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until smoking point is near. Add fillets and sear 3–4 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until a dark crust forms and fish flakes easily. Transfer to a warm plate.

For fried method: in a shallow bowl combine 3 tbs flour and 0.5 cup cornmeal and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Dredge fillets in the mixture, shaking off excess. Heat 4 tbs oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Fry fillets 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.

Choose one cooking method (blackened or fried). Keep fillets warm while plating.

To assemble: mound warm rice on each plate, place one catfish fillet over the rice, spoon 1/2 to 3/4 cup crawfish étouffée over the fillet (reserve some for the side), and arrange 4–6 hand-battered shrimp on top. Garnish with chopped parsley or green onions and serve immediately with lemon wedges.