Fish Coubouillon Recipes

REDFISH COURTBOUILLON (COURT BOUILLON)

Steps:

• 1. If you are lucky enough to have the bones of the fish, you should make a stock by boiling the fish bones with 1-2 quarts of water, 1 diced onion, 1 bay leaf and 1 tbsp of black peppercorns.
• 2. In large heavy dutch oven, over medium heat make a roux from 3/4 C. vegetable oil and 1 C. flour, stirring constantly until medium brown. Don't cook too fast or it will burn.
• 3. Add onions, celery, and bell pepper and sauté 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. This will cause the roux to seize up; it's supposed to do that. Add garlic and sauté a few minutes more.
• 4. Turn heat to low and add tomatoes and V-8 to the vegetable mixture and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• 5. Add stock, wine, Worcestershire, hot sauce, basil and thyme; simmer for 2 hours - the longer the better, stirring frequently. (Put a splatter screen or lid over sauce to keep sauce from spattering all over your stove, counter tops, etc.) If necessary add more stock, a little at a time, to keep it from getting to thick.
• 6. Season to taste with salt and pepper then add parsley, simmer 5 minutes. If you like your sauce chunky proceed to next step. If you prefer a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce until it reaches the desired consistency. Be careful not to splatter the red gravy. This will cause the sauce to thicken so add more stock or water as needed.
• 7. Bring the sauce up to a good boil, add the fish fillets, pushing them down into the sauce, being careful not to break the fish, cover with solid lid, and put into a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. If you prefer to finish it on the stove top, after adding the fish, cover with a solid lid and turn the heat off.
• 8. Don't Peek! Let sit for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the fish. When fish are flaky and no longer opaque taste sauce and adjust seasonings if necessary.
• 9. Garnish with green onions, fresh basil, and lemon wedges. Serve over white rice with garlic french bread. *Options: Add 1 lb peeled shrimp. This sauce is good with any type Snapper or Flounder

CREOLE REDFISH COURT-BOUILLON

Steps:

• Heat the 1/2 cup of the oil in a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the flour, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly with a large wooden spoon, to make a roux the color of peanut butter, about 15 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the garlic and bay leaves, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Place the tomato paste in a small bowl and whisk in the sherry to blend. Add to the pot, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the stock, whisking to blend. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the sugar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to low then whisk in the butter, bit by bit, until incorporated. Remove from the heat, taste, and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Preheat a grill to medium. To grill the fish, brush the fish all over with the olive oil and season the fish with the Essence. Grill the fish, basting occasionally with additional olive oil for about 8 minutes. Turn the fish and grill briefly on the second side. Return the court bouillon to the heat, add the fish, and simmer until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes longer. To serve, spoon 1/2 cup of rice into the center of six large soup bowls and divide the red fish court bouillon equally among them. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley or green onion.

CAJUN FISH COURT-BOUILLON FROM GREAT-GRANDMA

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Heat a large heavy pot over medium heat.
• When the pot is hot, add oil and heat for a minute or so, then add the flour and make a roux by stirring constantly for at least 10 minutes, and up to 30 minutes. It should be a nice medium to dark brown.
• Add the onion, salt, and pepper and cook for 10 minutes, until onions are softened (or "withered" as Grandma would say).
• Add hot water and bring to a boil, stirring to incorporate water into the roux. Add tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, and green onions and bring to a boil.
• Add the fish, gently stir, reduce heat to low, and simmer over low heat for 1 hour (fish fillets will break into pieces during cooking).
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve with bread.

COURT BOUILLON FOR POACHING FISH

Steps:

• For the bouillon: Place all ingredients in medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain and reserve. Can be refrigerated 3 days or frozen for months.
• For the fish: Run fingers over fish fillets to feel for tiny bones; if there are any, remove with needlenose pliers or tweezers. Lightly oil or butter the bottom of a deep skillet big enough to fit fish fillets in a single layer and place fish thus in skillet. Bring court bouillon to a simmer. Gently pour court bouillon over the fish, covering completely. Turn heat on very low so that liquid steams but does not quite simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and let fish sit in liquid an additional 5 minutes per inch of thickness. Start checking fish for doneness: a thin knife inserted in thickest part of fillet should meet with just slight resistance. Fish should still be slightly translucent in center. Remove fish from skillet with slotted spatula, blot the bottom lightly with a paper towel, and serve.
• For the almonds: Heat large nonstick skillet over medium flame. Add almonds and cook for 2 minutes, tossing frequently, until light brown and smelling toasty. Reduce heat to low. Drizzle oil over nuts and toss well. Sprinkle soy and lime juice over and toss well. Sprinkle cayenne, black pepper, garlic and scallion white/light greens over and toss very well. Continue to cook, stirring and tossing frequently, for 5 minutes or until nuts are dry and scallion and garlic are soft. Add scallion greens, toss again, and serve over poached bass or snapper with a wedge of lime.
• For the emulsion: Wash watercress and remove the thickest stems. Bring medium pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Have a medium bowl of ice water at hand for refreshing. When water returns to the boil, plunge watercress in and cook for 30 seconds. Drain watercress and quickly drop in ice water. When thoroughly chilled, drain watercress again and lightly squeeze out water. Chop blanched watercress roughly on cutting board. Place in blender and puree, adding a little water if necessary to get the mixture going. With blender running, gradually pour in oil until emulsion is formed. Add rest of salt and pepper, puree again and taste, adjusting seasoning if needed. Serve over poached salmon.

REDFISH COURTBOUILLON

Steps:

• Cut the fillet in 2" cross sections and set aside.
• Melt butter in dutch oven, then add flour and stir until brown.
• Add vegetables and saute until soft.
• Add tomato sauce and cook for 15 minutes.
• Add parsley, bay leaves, thyme and gradually stir in hot water.
• Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
• Drop fish in and cook another 30 minutes.
• Serve over hot rice.

LOUISIANA COURT-BOUILLON (OR CAJUN COURT BOUILLON)

Steps:

• Cut fish into 3 inch chunks and sprinkle with creole seasoning. Set in fridge.
• Cook veggies in butter until tender.
• Add roux (either use 4 tablespoons flour browned in a pan or oven or make with 4 tablespoons flour browned in 3 tablespoons butter).
• Add bay leaves.
• Add stock, tomatoes, other liquid ingredients and salt and pepper. Note: chicken stock or clam juice (or both) can be used if you have no fish stock.
• Simmer 20 minutes.
• Add fish, seasonings, and parsley and simmer gently for 15 more minutes.
• Adjust seasonings to taste.
• Serve with rice in bowl.

FISH COUBOUILLON

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large heavy pan, add the flour and cook, stirring, to make a medium brown roux (the color of peanut butter).
• Add the onions, garlic, celery, and green pepper and cook until softened, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, the tomato paste, stock or water, wine, salt, peppers, cayenne to taste, lemon juice, bay leaves and thyme.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add fish chunks and simmer 10 minutes longer.
• Sprinkle with chives and parsley and serve hot.