Catfish Etouffee

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch cast iron skillet or large Dutch oven
• •Wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula
• •Whisk

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the catfish

   Pat the catfish pieces completely dry with paper towels. Wet fish won't take seasoning properly and will steam instead of searing if you flash it later. Sprinkle with one teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning, the salt, and black pepper. Toss gently to coat every piece. Set aside while you build the sauce. This resting time lets the seasoning penetrate the flesh.

   Farm-raised catfish has a milder, cleaner flavor than wild-caught. It's what we use at Lagniappe because it takes seasoning beautifully without any muddy taste.
2. 2

   Build the blonde roux

   Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet or heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. When the butter stops foaming, whisk in the flour all at once. Keep whisking constantly. You're looking for a smooth paste with no lumps. Cook for five to seven minutes, stirring the whole time, until the roux turns the color of peanut butter and smells like popcorn with a hint of nuttiness. This is your blonde roux. It carries butter flavor into the sauce without the bitterness of a darker roux.

   If you see black specks in your roux, you've burned it. Start over. There's no fixing burned roux, and the bitterness will ruin everything.
3. 3

   Smother the trinity

   Add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper to the roux. This is the holy trinity, the foundation of Louisiana cooking. The vegetables will sizzle and complain when they hit that hot roux. That's good. Stir continuously for six to eight minutes until the onions turn translucent and the vegetables soften. The roux will cling to everything, coating the trinity in buttery richness. Add the garlic and the white parts of the green onions during the last minute. Garlic burns fast, so keep it moving.

4. 4

   Build the sauce

   Stir in the tomato paste and cook for one minute until it darkens slightly and loses its raw edge. Pour in the stock slowly, whisking as you go to prevent lumps. Add the Worcestershire, hot sauce, cayenne, and remaining teaspoon of Cajun seasoning. Bring to a gentle simmer. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon but loose enough to flow. If it's too thick, add stock a few tablespoons at a time. Taste now. Adjust the salt and heat to your liking. This is your chance to make it yours.

   Taste, taste, taste. That's the bayou way. The sauce should have warmth from the cayenne but not set your mouth on fire. You can always add more heat at the table.
5. 5

   Poach the catfish

   Reduce heat to low. Gently nestle the seasoned catfish pieces into the simmering sauce, pressing them down until they're mostly submerged. Cover the pot and let the fish poach for twelve to fifteen minutes. Don't stir during this time or you'll break up the fish. The catfish is done when it flakes easily with a fork and has turned from translucent to opaque white throughout. The sauce will have thickened slightly from the fish releasing its juices.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Remove from heat. Scatter the green onion tops and chopped parsley over the etouffee. Give one gentle stir to distribute the herbs without breaking up the fish. Ladle generous portions over mounds of hot white rice. The sauce should pool around the rice, creating little pockets of flavor in every bite. Serve immediately with extra hot sauce on the side for those who want more heat.

Chef Tips

• •Make your own Cajun seasoning by mixing two parts paprika with one part each garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne, plus a half part each dried thyme and oregano. Store in a jar and use it on everything.
• •If your sauce breaks or looks greasy, whisk in a tablespoon of cold stock. The temperature shock helps the fat re-emulsify into the sauce.
• •Leftover etouffee thickens considerably in the refrigerator. Add a splash of stock when reheating and warm it gently over low heat to keep the fish tender.
• •At Lagniappe, we always serve etouffee with French bread for sopping up the last bits of sauce. When the last bite is as good as the first, you've done it right.

Advance Preparation

• •The sauce base (through step 4, before adding fish) can be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently before adding the catfish.
• •Complete etouffee can be refrigerated for up to two days. Reheat over low heat, adding stock as needed to loosen the sauce. The fish texture will be slightly different but still delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 280g)