Blackened Catfish With Crawfish Étouffée Recipes

BLACKENED CATFISH WITH CRAWFISH ÉTOUFFéE

Steps:

• Dredge each filet in 4 ounces of melted butter. Coat with blackening seasoning to taste. Place in a hot, heavy iron skillet. Brown each side for about 7 minutes.
• In a medium sized pan, sauté the onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic in the butter until they are tender or clear, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir until the roux has a blonde color. Add the tomato paste, mix well. Add the salt, pepper, 1 cup of water and crawfish tails. Simmer for about 15 - 20 minutes. Adjust consistency with the remaining 1/2 cup of water if necessary.
• Serve with crawfish étouffée on top blackened catfish. Garnish with green onions or parsley. Tip: Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

BLACKENED CATFISH

Steps:

• The fillets should be at room temperature. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over very high heat until it is beyond the smoking stage and you see white ash in the skillet bottom, at least for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pour 2 tablespoons melted butter in each of 6 small ramekins; set aside and keep warm. Reserve the remaining butter. Heat the serving plates in a 250-degree oven. Dip each fillet in the reserved melted butter so that both sides are well coated. Then, mix thoroughly all the spices for blackening mixture and sprinkle the Blackening Spice Mixture generously and evenly on both sides of the fillets. Place 1 or 2 fillets in skillet and cook uncovered over very high heat until the underside becomes deep brown, almost black (but not burned), about 2 minutes (the time may vary according to the fillet's thickness and the heat of the skillet). Turn the fish over and pour 1 teaspoon of butter on top of each. Cook until fish is done, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining fillets. Serve each fillet while hot. To serve, place 1 fillet and a ramekin of butter on each plate.

CAJUN BLACKENED CATFISH

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, mix together the black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, parsley, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, oregano, and thyme until thoroughly combined. Press the catfish fillets into the spice mixture to thoroughly coat.
• Arrange a portable heat source outdoors, such as a butane burner or side burner of a gas grill. Melt butter in a glass or metal bowl. Light the burner, and place a large cast-iron skillet onto the burner over high heat. Pour about 1/4 cup of melted butter into the skillet; set remaining 1/2 cup of butter aside.
• When the butter in the skillet is smoking hot, lay the catfish fillets into the skillet. Cook until the spices are burned onto the fillets and the catfish is opaque and flaky inside, about 3 minutes per side. Don't breathe smoke from burning spices. To serve, pour remaining 1/2 cup of butter over the catfish.