Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter OR bacon fat
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
2 teaspoons thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 cubanelle peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 quarts seafood or chicken stock
4 andouille sausages, sliced into coins
1 lb okra, sliced into coins
1 lb peeled shrimp
1 lb catfish, cut into nuggets
1 lb shucked oysters (with liquid)


cooked white rice to serve
file powder, optional

Directions:
Over medium heat, cook the flour, spices and butter/bacon fat together, whisking pretty often until it turns brown but doesn't burn. Add the onions, garlic and peppers and saute until starting to soften. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the sausage and okra. Cook for 30 minutes. Add the shrimp and catfish. Cook until they are almost cooked through then add the oysters in their liquid. Cook until the oysters are cooked through. Serve over rice.

My thoughts:

I have to say, I make pretty good Cajun food. When my husband brought home a bunch of seafood with an eye on making gumbo, he suggested I make the roux and take a more supervisory role for the rest. Fine with me! I make my roux over a lower heat than I've seen called for in cookbooks which makes the process much less fraught but yields the same results in just slightly more time. I also like to add the spices to the flour which makes them nice and toasty tasting. Beyond that I don't get too fancy; cubanelle peppers instead of bell (bell peppers are so insipid) and a jalapeno thrown in for extra spice. Since it is a month with an "r" in it, local oysters were a natural fit as was my favorite catfish. Rounding it out is shrimp but I bet crawfish or even (for an extra luxe touch) chunks of lobster would be great. This is my favorite kind of gumbo, homey and comforting but the seafood makes it seem special. It is also surprisingly quick to make which makes it a great choice for a weekday meal.

Fried Catfish v.2.0

Ingredients:
2 lb catfish fillets, cut in half length-wise
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 flour
1/4 corn flour
1 tablespoon Old Bay
1 1/2 teaspoons ground chipotle
1 teaspoon celery seed
salt
pepper
juice of one lemon
oil for frying

Directions:

Place fish in single layer in a shallow bowl or tray, squeeze lemon juice over the fish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. On a plate, mix together flour, corn flour, cornmeal, Old Bay, chipotle pepper, salt, pepper and celery seed. Dredge the fish (both sides) in the mixture then place on a place and refrigerate an additional 1/2 hour. Meanwhile, heat enough oil to pan fry in a large, shallow pan. Heat the oil. Fry fish fillets in the oil, for about 4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. Make sure the fish is cooked through. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and serve immediately.

My thoughts:

It is traditional during Hanukkah to eat fried foods, normally latkes, but we were a little short on potatoes so we fried up some fish instead. It is sort of an evolution of previous catfish recipe, cornflour replaces some of the plain flour and the spices are slightly different but it is just as crisp and delightful. I could eat it every day. I served it with and drinking my new favorite beverage-Fever Tree Bitter Lemon which add a good tart contrast to the spicy fish.


Oh, and we bought something at Ikea that has changed our lives. A mesh splatter guard. It keeps the oil from splashing everywhere when you fry. It also works great when you make tomato sauces.

Catfish Fry

Ingredients:
2 lb catfish filets*, cut in half length-wise
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 flour
1 tablespoon Old Bay
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne
1 teaspoon celery seed
salt
pepper
juice of one lemon
oil for frying

Directions:

Place fish in a shallow bowl, squeeze lemon juice over the fish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. On a plate, mix together flour, cornmeal, Old Bay, cayenne, salt, pepper and celery seed. Dredge the fish (both sides) in the mixture then place on a place and refrigerate an additional 1/2 hour. Meanwhile, heat enough oil to pan fry in a large, shallow pan. Heat the oil on medium high heat for about 15 minutes or until you can really start to smell the oil. Fry fish filets in the oil, for about 4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. Make sure the fish is cooked through. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and serve immediately, although any leftovers will make good sandwiches the next day.


*If you don't have catfish, white fish (whiting) or even tilapia will do.

My thoughts:

When I was little I used to go fishing and catch giant catfish that my grandpop would then cut up and fry for me. Now I buy my fish at the supermarket and it is my husband who fries it up for me. This version is spicier than what my grandpop made but every bit as tasty! The trick to a successful fry is very hot oil. If it is not hot enough, the fish will soak up the oil and you will be left with greasy fish. Cooking with hot oil can be tricky, but if you are careful, the results will be well worth the hassle.