Redfish in Court Bouillon

Ingredients

• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 cup finely chopped shallots
• 2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1⅓ cup chopped white onions
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 4 bay leaves
• ¼ tsp powdered thyme
• 3 cup whole tomatoes and juice
• 2 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 4 cup made from head, bones, trimmings of fish, dry white wine, seasonings, flavorings fish stock
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• ¾ cup dry red Burgundy wine
• 2 cleaned, boned redfish (red snapper), each about 4 lbs
• flour seasoned with salt and pepper
• hot butter, for searing

Method

1. Put 1/2 cup vegetable oil into a large pot; heat. Add and saute the celery, shallots, green pepper, white onions and garlic. Stir in the bay leaves, powdered thyme, whole tomatoes and juice, salt, black pepper, cayenne and paprika. Simmer 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the fish stock. Cook, uncovered, 30-45 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced, thickened and is well-blended. Stir in the lemon juice and red Burgundy wine.
3. While the sauce is cooking, coat the cleaned, boned redfish (heads, bones, trimmings saved for stock) with flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Sear on each side in a large pan or skillet with hot butter; cook the fish half done.
4. Pour the sauce over the fish; gently simmer until the fish are done. Serve with fluffy rice, lemon wedges, fresh-cooked shrimp, sliced carrots, hard-cooked egg and parsley; may serve with oysters and mussels topped with colorful, thick seafood sauces.

Notes

Serves 8. By chef Paul Blangé, Brennan's French Restaurant, New Orleans.

Original card

The recipe above was transcribed from this scan of Vera’s original card.

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