Zeke Babins Black Pot Courtbouillon Recipes

ZEKE BABIN'S BLACK POT COURTBOUILLON

Steps:

• In a heavy bottomed 12" sauté pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add rotel and cook an additional 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a 6-quart black iron pot, place 1/3 of sautéed vegetables. Top with four fillets of catfish and eight shrimp. Sprinkle with one third of the salt, pepper, granulated garlic, paprika and flour or roux. Add one third of green onions and parsley. Continue layering and seasoning until all are used up. The top layer of catfish should have a good covering of green onions and parsley.
• Carefully pour in 1/2 cup hot water to add moisture to bottom.
• Place pot on low heat and cover tightly. Cook for one hour. Do not uncover during this process. The steaming inside the pot allows the natural juices from the fish to incorporate into the seasonings.
• After one hour, remove lid and using a rubber spatula, gently separate ingredients from sides of pot, DO NOT STIR! This ensures even liquid distribution in pot. Re-cover and cook one additional hour. The courtbouillon should have a slightly rusty color due to the paprika and the consistency of the liquid should be stew-like. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve over rice or pasta.
• Note: The oil-less brown roux is available at your local grocery or may substitute all purpose flour.

GE COURT BOUILLON

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Strain or use chunky the first time, then strain through a fine mesh and either refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Either way, be sure to bring to a boil before reusing.

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.

BLACKENED CATFISH WITH LEMON

Steps:

• Place the fish fillets in a large bowl and drizzle olive oil over them, let stand for 30 minutes.
• Combine spices in a 9-inch pie plate.
• Heat a cast iron skillet upside down over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until very hot.
• Turn on vent fan during cooking to eliminate smoke.
• Using a hot pad, turn pan right side up.
• Remove fish fillets from oil and drain.
• Dip each fillet into seasonings and coat each side evenly.
• Put fillets in hot skillet and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning only once.

COURT BOUILLON

Steps:

• In a large heavy pot, combine and bring to a boil: 1 1/2 cups dry white wine, 4 cups water, 2 carrots, peeled and sliced, 1 celery stalk, sliced, 2 onions, peeled and sliced, 1 bay leaf, 7 black peppercorns, 6 coriander seeds, 3 thyme sprigs, A handful of parsley stems, 2 teaspoons salt.
• Skim off any rising scum. Turn down the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain, discarding the solids.
• If there's no white wine, substitute about 2 tablespoons good white wine vinegar.

THE BEST CARROT CASSEROLE EVER !

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender. Drain. Place into a large bowl and mash with the melted butter and dry ingredients. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat with a whisk to blend well.
• pour into a 2-quart sprayed casserole. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
• Bake 30-35 minutes.

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.

PECAN CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH PRALINE CREAM

Steps:

• In heavy saucepan heat oil over medium heat.
• Combine flour and pecans and season to taste using salt, pepper, thyme and basil.
• In mixing bowl combine egg, water and milk.
• Using a wire whisk whip ingredients until well blended.
• Season eggwash with salt and pepper.
• Dip chicken in eggwash and then in pecan flour shaking off excess.
• Pan fry chicken until golden brown on both sides or approximately 7 to 10 minutes.
• Remove and keep warm.
• Drain all but 1 tablespoon of oil from skillet keeping pan drippings.
• Add pecans and saute 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and deglaze with praline liqueur.
• Return to flame being careful as liqueur will ignite.
• Add heavy whipping cream and bring to rolling boil then reduce to a simmer.
• Reduce cream to one half volume.
• Season to taste using salt and pepper.
• Place chicken breast in the center of a ten inch plate and top with 2 ounces of the praline cream.