Moms Catfish In Claypot Recipe Epicuriouscom

CATFISH SIMMERED IN CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Thoroughly clean the catfish steaks, removing membranes and blood that the fishmonger may have overlooked. On a dinner plate or in a bowl, stir together the brown sugar, pepper, salt, caramel sauce, and fish sauce. Add the catfish and coat with the mixture, turning the steaks to make sure that all surfaces are evenly exposed to the seasonings. Set aside for 15 minutes to marinate.
• Select a shallow saucepan in which the fish steaks will fit snugly in a single layer. If you are using the fatback, put it into the saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 12 minutes, or until it renders liquid fat and turns into golden cracklings; lower the heat slightly if the pan smokes too much. Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of the fat, keeping the cracklings in the pan, then return the pan to medium heat. (If you are using oil, heat it in the saucepan over medium heat.) Add the garlic and scallions and sauté for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
• Add the catfish and all the seasonings from the plate to the pan. There may be some intense bubbling. Adjust the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes to develop the flavors, checking midway to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan. If the pan seems dry, splash in a little water. During this initial period, the fish will more or less cook in the steam trapped in the pan. Expect the liquid to bubble vigorously. Soft plumes of steam may shoot from under the lid.
• Uncover, add water almost to cover the fish, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. The fish will be at a hard simmer. Uncover and adjust the heat, if necessary, to continue at a gentle simmer. Cook for another 15 to 18 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by half and has thickened slightly, forming a sauce.
• Taste the sauce and adjust the flavor with a pinch of brown sugar to remove any harsh edges, or a sprinkling of fish sauce for more savory depth. Carefully transfer the fish to a shallow bowl. Don't worry if the steaks break up a bit. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve.
• Vietnamese cooks of the past relied on clay pots for preparing everyday kho dishes and rice. They were inexpensive but also prone to cracking and breaking, instantly ruining the meal. When affordable aluminum pots became available in Vietnam in the mid-1940s, people embraced their modern convenience. Nowadays, clay pots are seldom used by Vietnamese cooks, but the term clay pot is sometimes used to describe kho dishes. In fact, the to in the catfish kho recipe name refers to a type of clay pot typically used for making the dish.
• Despite these changes in the Viet kitchen, you may simmer kho in a clay pot. There is no flavor advantage, but the vessels are charming and can go from stove to table. Most Asian markets and housewares shops stock two styles: the off-white, high-sided Chinese sand pot and the squat Japanese donabe, which are often richly glazed and usually have a wide bottom. A sand pot is inexpensive, but the higher-priced donabe, made in Japan and China and constructed of dense clay, heats up faster and is sturdier. The wide-bottomed donabe is ideal for kho dishes that call for the ingredients to be arranged in a single layer. Common clay pot sizes include extra small (1 quart), small (1 1/2 quart), medium (2 1/2 to 3 quart), and large (4 to 5 quart).
• Clay pots are designed for cooking food in liquid. Any sautéing or searing steps must be done in a regular pan. Some cooks season their clay pots before using them, but I don't. They can be set directly on the burner of a gas stove, but require a heat diff user on an electric stove. Always have a clay pot at room temperature, never chilled, before you put it on the burner; heat it gradually to prevent cracking; and never raise the heat above medium. Once the contents are at a simmer, make sure any liquid you add is at least warm. To maintain the life of a clay pot, avoid using sharp utensils and clean it with mild detergent, hot water, and gentle wiping.

CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the sugar and the 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. Stir continuously with a spoon or wire whisk. Have the 1 cup boiling water ready on a back burner. When the caramel sauce begins to bubble and turn very dark brown, move the pan to a cool burner. Stirring continuously, drizzle in only enough boiling water to slightly thin out the syrup 1 to 2 tablespoons. (This will ensure that the sauce doesn't become too thick later.) Let the sauce cool before transferring to a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

VIETNAMESE CATFISH IN A CLAY POT (CA KHO TO)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Place clay pot or covered roasting pan into oven to preheat.
• Place 3 ounces fish sauce and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan, and use whisk to blend until sugar dissolves. Heat over medium-low heat, whisking until mixture comes to a boil, then stop stirring, and swirl mixture in pan for 12 minutes or so, until it becomes golden, foamy, and slightly thick.
• Remove from heat, and when mixture has cooled and foam settled somewhat, stir in lime juice until sauce is blended.
• In the bottom of the clay pot or roaster, place oil, shallots, garlic, and chopped lemongrass.
• Cover clay pot or roaster and cook at 450°F for 10 minutes.
• Remove pot from oven and add catfish fillets in a single layer. Cover pot and cook at 450°F for 5 minutes.
• Remove pot from oven and add mushrooms and caramel sauce. Cover pot and cook at 450°F for 5 minutes.
• Mix together remaining fish sauce, broth, water, and sugar until blended.
• Remove pot from oven and add broth mixture and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Return pot to oven and cook, UNCOVERED, for 10 minutes at 450°F.
• Remove pot from oven and cover fish and mushrooms with spinach, basil, and chopped scallion. Cover pot and cook at 450°F for 5 minutes.
• Remove from oven and serve fish and vegetables with hot steamed jasmine rice.

CLAY POT CATFISH

Steps:

• Place the sugar in a 1-quart clay pot and add just enough water to barely wet it. Place over moderate heat until the sugar starts to brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir once, then add the oil and garlic.
• Stir for 1 minute, then add the boiling water, fish sauce and catfish pieces.
• Turn the pieces so they're evenly coated with the sauce.
• Reduce the heat to a soft simmer. Cover and cook for 5 m inutes, until the catfish is firm and almost done.
• Uncover, and continue to simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
• Remove from heat and garnish with the onion, cilantro and pepper. Serve right in the clay pot.
• You do not need to use aclaypot, and iron pot will work too.