Spicy Court Bouillon Recipes

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.

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.

SPICY COURT BOUILLON

Steps:

• Over medium low heat, cook onions, green onions, shallots and garlic until translucent, about 15 minutes. Add tomato sauce, parsley, thyme and hot sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in water and add mahi fillets -- cover pan and simmer 3-4 minutes, turn fillets and simmer an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice. Serve over rice.

SPICY LANGOUSTINE BROTH (BOUILLON DE LANGOUSTINE EPICE)

Steps:

• In a heavy-duty roasting pan or in a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add the shells and sear until they turn bright pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the orange quarters, fennel seeds, star anise, 4 quarts cold water, the tomatoes, bay leaves, garlic, chile peppers, sea salt, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and boil vigorously for 30 minutes. To extract the maximum flavor from the shells, use a wooden mallet to crush and break them up while the soup is cooking. Line a large colander with a double layer of dampened cheesecloth, and place the colander over a large bowl. Ladle the broth into the colander, discarding the solids. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm in small cups as an appetizer, or in warmed shallow soup bowls as a first course.