January 26, 2009

Today was Pan-Fried Catfish with a Relish Remoulage Sauce. 

Catfish:

2 Catfish Fillets

1/2 c Bread Crumbs

1/2 c Cornmeal

1/4 c Pecans, chopped finely

2 TB Parsley, chopped

TT Salt and Black Pepper

1 Egg, beaten

All Purpose Flour

Vegetable Oil, for frying

1)  Clean your fillets, set aside.

2)   In medium bowl mix crumbs, cornmeal, pecans, parsley, salt and pepper.

3)  In another bowl, put some flour, salt and pepper. 

4)  Set a third bowl with the egg in it next to the crumb mixture and flour. This will be for the breading.

5)  Take fillets and dust with flour. It works best to stick it in the bowl and gently shake off any excess. 

6)  From the flour, dip in egg. 

7)  From the egg, cover with crumbs. 

8)  Set on a plate and refrigerate while making your tartar or remoulage.

The Relish:

1 Pickle, finely diced

1/2 Green Bell Pepper, finely diced

1/2 Red Bell Pepper, finely diced

1 TB Capers, chopped

1/2 tea Garlic, minced

1 tea Cider Vinegar

1 TB Olive Oil

TT Salt and Black Pepper

1)  Cut and mix all, set aside.

The Mayo

2 Egg Yolks 

about 1 c Vegetable Oil

1/2 tea Dry Mustard

1-2  TB Lemon Juice

TT Salt and Pepper

1-2 TB Water, as needed

1)  Using a small balloon whisk, whip eggs in medium size bowl. 

2)  Slowly and gradually add oil, whipping continually. 

3)  When it starts to resemble a thick sauce, or mayo consistency you can add the oil faster, and make as much as you desire. 

4)  Season with lemon juice. Add more oil to thicken, or water to thin. 

5)  Season with salt, pepper, and mustard. 

The Sauce:

Mix relish with the mayo to desired consistency. Put in small dish, top with parsley. Chill while frying catfish. 

Frying:

1)  Heat oil in pan large enough to accommodate fillets without crowding. 

2)  Take from fridge and place in hot oil- should be enough to go up half the side of the fillet.

3)  Cook until golden brown, then gently turn over, using tongs or fish spatula. 

4)  Cook second side until golden. If the fish seems uncooked at this point, remove from oil and finish cooking in a clean pan in the oven. Do not burn trying to fry. 

5)  When done, serve on leaf of lettuce along with your chilled sauce, garnished with wedge of lemon. 

January 8

The weather in Seattle has been crazy windy, enough to make it hard walking forward! I do love a good wind storm:) So here are a few recipes for the fam, and whoever else wants to see what I've been learning in culinary classes.

Stew

Ingredients:

Bacon, raw, cut small
Beef, no fat and cut to 1" cubes (dust with flour, salt and pepper)
Pearl Onions, parboiled and skins off
Potatoes, cut small dice
Carrots, small dice
Celery, sliced
Aromatics (bay leaf, parsley, peppercorns, Herbs-fresh- i like thyme, rosemary, sage)
Salt TT (To Taste)
Stock/ broth (beef or chicken)
Mushrooms
*Red Wine
*Tomato
Salt and Pepper, TT

1 In saucepan on stove top, cook bacon until fat starts liquidating. Add beef and brown, cooking most of the way thru.
2 Remove meats from pan, add vegetables (minus mushrooms) to fat and saute until golden. If using tomato add after everything else is browned. Toast tomato then pour in wine (or some stock if you don't want the wine) to cover the bottom of the pan. Using a spoon, stir off flavorings from pan and then add rest of stock and aromatics.
3 Simmer (don't boil) for about 45- 1 hour. If you want a thicker broth, in smaller pan melt 2 TB butter and 2 TB flour, whisking to get out lumps. Slowly add liquid from stew, whisking to prevent lumps. When it reaches the desired consistency, add back to stew. Take out aromatics (bay leaf) before serving.

Risotto

1 cup small grain rice
4-5 cups stock
1 cup white wine (optional- if not using, use 5 cups stock)
Onion, small dice
Butter
1/2 - 1 cup Parmesan
salt and pepper, TT

1 In saucepan melt butter and sweat onion until translucent. Add rice and heat without browning. Add liquid (wine or extra cup of stock) and stir off flavor from bottom of pan.
2 Add stock to just cover rice, stirring as it evaporates and cooks in. Repeat until all stock is used, or rice reaches desired consistency (takes about 15 minutes).
3 Take off heat, stir in butter and Parmesan, cover and set for 5 minutes.

January 2009

January 2

Well, then new year is off and running... and so is my nose:( I got a little sick early this week and its been a battle to breath, ah well! Things are fabulous with sunny skies over Elliott Bay and I'm looking forward to seeing cousins and aunts and uncles and Grandma this weekend. Both jobs are going fine, as people are now free from snow and able to do more spending after the slow holiday season.

Hope all of you are well, and Happy New Year!