Hello foodies, Austin Carter is here at Beyond The Bayou Blog to share delicious recipes with you to make your day extra special. One such special recipe is today on my hand: Red Snapper Courtbouillon.
In honor of Black History Month, I had the opportunity to partner with 28 other amazing black food bloggers to participate in an awesome virtual potluck! For the Black History Month Virtual Potluck, each food blogger is showcasing a recipe that will get your taste buds tingling!
I have looked at last year’s bloggers and recipes and my mouth was drooling and loving all of the different cultures and cuisines represented. From African to Jamaican and so on! A big thanks to Meiko Drew over at Meiko And The Dish and Aaron Hutchenson over at The Hungry Hutch for putting this together!
For y’all I have made a classic Creole Courtbouillon (Coo-Be-yon). This is a dish I remember having growing up, mostly with Cream Dory Fish being served, but it was always a dish I loved. Very much so a Creole influence with the stewed tomatoes.
Coastal Red Snapper Courtbouillon Recipe
Equipment
- Roasting pan
- Large heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Aluminum foil
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs redfish or fish of choice
- 1,1/2 tsp kosher
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup canola oil or oil of choice
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup onions, chopped
- 1 cup green bell peppers, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 blue crabs, cut in half
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 tsp creole seasoning
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 2 cups seafood stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 sprig of tarragon or fresh thyme
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 pint oysters optional
- 2 bunches green onions, chopped
- 1 lemon for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Score the fish and season with salt and pepper, then place it in a roasting pan.
- Make a roux by heating oil in a saucepan, adding flour, and cooking until browned. Add onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic, blue crabs, wine, creole seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Cook until wine reduces.
- Increase heat and add tomatoes, seafood stock, tarragon, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, season with salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Pour the Creole sauce over the fish, cover with foil, and bake for 35-40 minutes. Uncover, add shrimp and oysters (optional), and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
- Serve with rice, green onions, and lemon wedges.
Nutrition
Variations and Substitutions!
- Redfish isn’t the only fish option; snapper, grouper, and cod are also viable alternatives. They complement the delicious sauce beautifully.
- To make it your own, try experimenting with various combinations of Creole seasoning or adjusting the spices to taste. Smoked paprika or cayenne pepper can be added for a smokier or spicier flavor.
- Substitute parsley, basil, or cilantro for thyme or tarragon if you happen to be short on those herbs. A simple bay leaf can do the trick.
- Go beyond the traditional fare of shrimp and oysters. To spice up your seafood medley, try adding some scallops, crabmeat, or lobster.
- For a chunkier sauce, use chopped or pureed tomatoes; otherwise, use fresh tomatoes if you can.
- Be imaginative with veggies. The addition of colorful and flavorful vegetables like carrots, okra, spinach, or kale can really transform a dish.
- Substitute cornstarch or a gluten-free flour mixture for the flour in the roux if you are unable to consume gluten.
- How about a seafood stock broth instead? Of course. Broth made from chicken or vegetables will do.
- For an extra burst of citrus flavor, add some lemon zest. It gives the sauce a new, vivacious brightness.
- Don’t like wine? Get the same level of acid by adding a dash of vinegar to the soup.
What to Serve with Red Snapper Courtbouillon?
