Just a Closer Walk With Thee

While defining the difference between "Creole"and "Cajun" food might be, at best, difficult, some dishes do exist that clearly belong in one or the other camp. A dish infused with the flavor of catfish and parsley, rich in the flavor of green pepper and tomato would seem to fit the bill, I figured.

I can't claim I've made this "correctly". After all, I didn't catch my own catfish. Don't know what kind of catfish it was, either. I do know it was fantastic, peppery, and delicious. This is truely a gem of a dish, and certainly unique to Acadia.

Catfish

There's fish, and then there's catfish. Most fish swim around in the water, covered in scales. Most catfish hide in lower waters. Some eat live food, though many feed on dead or dying food. They're size varies, some species becoming enormous, while others remain quite small, and you'll find some species of them all over the world.

Farm raised catfish are cheap and readily available all over America, though the flavor and quality may vary.

Remember the basics of buying fish when buying catfish: if it's whole you want to see clear eyes, and the flesh should be totally odorless. A hint of a "fishy"smell means it's off, and you don't want to risk it!

Catfish Courtbouillon (adapted from this recipe)
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Serves: 6-8 people

Ingredients:

2 medium yellow onions
2 green peppers
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch pasley
1 bunch scallion (green onion) tops
1 8 ounce can crushed, stewed tomatos
1 cup water
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
2 lbs catfish

Prep:

Chop the yellow onions and green peppers. Mince the garlic cloves.

Also chop up the parsley and scallion tops.

Slice up your catfish into 2 inch chunks.

Cooking:

In a large pot, put a thin layer of vegetables. Follow by a layer of catfish. Then sprinkle with flour and spices. Then drizzle some tomato onto the catfish, and then water. Repeat this process, layering vegetables, catfish, flour, spices, stewed tomato, and water until it's all int he pot.

Do not stir it! Bring to a simmer, and cook over very low heat for 45 minutes, not stirring it at all. Then add parsley and scallion tops to the top, and cook another five minutes.

Serve, like most cajun food, over rice.