Happy Mardi Gras! Someone better be eating some king cake for me in New Orleans today!

I realized the other day that I have only shared one recipe inspired by the food of my second hometown, New Orleans. See my Creole Chicken and Mushroom Dirty Rice here. I need to rectify that fast! Today I hope you will give my Creole Courtbouillon a try. I have always been fascinated by fish/seafood stews. It is a category of dish that is prevalent in every seafaring culture, as invariably fishermen have to eat. From the French Bouillabaisse to the Brazillian Moqueca, or the chowders of the New England and the fish curries of South Asia, there are few dishes that convey more of a sense of time and place than a fish stew. What makes better sense than a big pot of something rich, hot, and soul satisfying with the day’s catch? Can you just imagine the hours of heated debates, between tired and passionate fishermen, that went into the gradual development of these recipes?

The courtbouillon/court-bouillon is a term used in French cooking to refer to a flavored liquid used to poach fish and shellfish. The New Orleans version, a cousin of the gumbo and étoufée, takes this further and at some point became a rollickingly rich tomato based stew flavored, of course, with plenty of creole seasoning, the holy trinity, and thickened with a dark roux. This is the sort of dish that is eye rolling satisfying. When people talk about food that feeds the soul, THIS is what they are talking about.

As with any recipe that is passed down from one generation to another, the courtbouillon comes in many variations. The roux is a must,  but the darkness of it depends on each cook. After many years of making gumbos, I will always advise that you go dark. Embrace the dark! The holy trinity (onion, celery, and green bell pepper) is the next set of ingredients you will find in every recipe. The type of fish used can also vary. In New Orleans, a redfish or catfish is often used but in the true spirit of a fish stew, it really will work with whatever is most readily available. I am using a good neutral fish here called barramundi. I also found some gorgeous head on shrimp, so I added those. You can also add oysters to this party.

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C R E O L E  C O U R T B O U I L L O N  (S E A F O O D  S T E W)
serves 6

1 20-24 oz filet of barramundi fish, cut into large 2 inch chunks
1 pound head on shrimp, cleaned
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons creole seasoning
salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup grapeseed oil
2 medium onions, diced
4-5 cloves garlic, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on heat preference)
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup tomato paste
3/4 cup dry sherry
1 can whole tomatoes
4 cups seafood stock or water
scallions, for garnish
cooked white rice, for serving

Pat the fish dry and place on a plate, season all sides with salt and 1 1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning. In a bowl, season the shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning.

Heat 1/4 cup of grapeseed oil in a large dutch oven. Over medium high heat, lightly brown the fish in one layer, skin side down first, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the pot and set aside. Add a bit more oil if the pot looks dry and lightly brown the shrimp, 3-5 minutes more. Remove and set aside.

Add 3/4 cup oil to what is already in the pot, heat until a pinch of flour sizzles immediately when touching the oil. Gradually whisk in 1 cup flour. Turn down the heat to medium. Continue to whisk vigorously to make the roux. The oil will absorb the flour and gradually begin to darken. The roux burns easily so do not leave this unattended. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until it has darkened to a red brown color.

As soon as you reach this stage, add the diced onions, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Turn the stove back up to medium high, sautée the onions for minute or so. Add the celery and another 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sautée for another minute. Add the bell pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sautée again. The roux will continue to darken during this process. That’s alright. Do not be scared of the darkness! Add 1 tablespoon creole seasoning, dried thyme, oregano, cayenne, and bay leaf. Mix and cook for another minute so. Push all the vegetables to one side of the pan, add the tomato paste to a part of the pan where it will have direct access to the hot pan. Stir with a wooden spoon, the heat will loosen up the concentrated paste and allow if to begin releasing its flavors. After a minute, mix it in with everything else in the pot. Pour in the sherry and cook for 2-3 minutes until the alcohol has cooked out. Next add the whole tomatoes along with any juice in the can. Use the back of a wooden spoon to gently break the tomatoes up a bit. Add the stock, if you are using, or water. Mix well, partially cover, and cook for 30-35 minutes for all the flavors to come together. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning

Add the fish and cook until they flake easily, 10-15 minutes. Grab the handles of the pot and gently swirl the pot so that all the fish gets cooked. Do not stir or the fish will break up. Add the shrimp in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve with white rice and scallions.

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This post was done in collaboration with Australis Barramundi. All opinions expressed here are my own.