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Karen’s Catfish Atchafalaya with Crawfish Étouffée
INGREDIENTS
- For Catfish: Six 4-ounce catfish fillets
- ¾ cup yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Tony Chachere’s Original
- Creole Seasoning, to taste
- 1½ cups Zatarain’s Wonderful Fish Fri Vegetable oil or other neutral oil, for frying
- For Crawfish Étouffée: 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 4-ounce can chunky-style portobello mushrooms, drained
- 2 large celery ribs, chopped
- ½ medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 10.5-ounce can mild Rotel
- 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce 12 ounces crawfish tail meat, rinsed well 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s
- Original Creole Seasoning
- Dash of Tabasco
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS
For Catfish:
1. Pat the fillets dry and place on a tray or baking sheet. Cover with yellow mustard, salt, pepper, and Tony’s.
2. Add the Fish Fri to a medium shallow dish and coat each fillet in the breading, then place back on the baking sheet.
3. Add enough oil to cover ½ inch of the side of a large, deep skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
4. Once the oil is shimmering, add the catfish fillets two or three at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden brown on each side, about 4 to 5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to catch any excess grease. Serve with remoulade or topped with Crawfish Étouffée
For Crawfish Étouffée:
1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, celery, and onions and sauté over medium-low heat until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Sprinkle in the flour, mix well, and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
3. Add the Rotel, 2 ½ cups of water, Worcestershire sauce, crawfish tails, green onions, garlic, bay leaves, and salt, pepper, Tony’s, and Tabasco, to taste.
4. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the crawfish are warmed through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the parsley.
Karen’s Red Beans and Rice
INGREDIENTS
- 16 ounces dried red kidney beans (or dried large white beans)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Tony Chachere’s Original
- Creole Seasoning, to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 14 ounces smoked link sausage, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
- ½ green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice, to serve
DIRECTIONS
1. Add the dried beans and 1 tablespoon salt to a large bowl and cover with about three inches of water, about 4 to 6 cups. Loosely cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain the soaked beans and discard the water.
2. Add 6 cups fresh water to a large soup pot and add the soaked beans, a pinch of salt, pepper, Tony’s, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the beans are tender, stirring frequently, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. If the beans begin to look dry, add ½ cup water as needed.
3. Smash the cooked beans with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to help thicken. Reduce heat to low while you prepare the sausage.
4. Add the sliced sausage to a large skillet over medium-high heat and fry until browned and warmed through, turning frequently, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain any grease and transfer sausage to a plate.
5. Add the onions and bell peppers to the same skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Sauté until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Place the browned sausage and sautéed onion mixture in the pot with the cooked beans and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 1 hour or until ready to serve, adding water if it becomes too thick.
7. Serve over a scoop of jasmine rice. Refrigerate any unused rice in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and any leftover red beans in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Karen’s Cherry Wedding Cookies
INGREDIENTS
- For the Cookies: 12-ounce jar maraschino cherries without stems, juice drained and reserved
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
- 3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons
- almond extract
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- For the Icing: 2 cups powdered sugar, plus more as needed 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Reserved cherry juice, as needed
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Roughly chop the cherries and pat dry. Set aside.
3. Beat the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until combined, about 1 minute. Beat in eggs, almond extract, and chopped cherries.
4. Prepare the dough: Whisk flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating until just combined after each addition. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Arrange on baking sheets 1 inch apart.
6. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until the centers are set and the bottoms are lightly browned. Don’t let the tops brown-overbaking the cookies can make them dry and stiff.
7. Remove to a wire rack to cool until room temperature, about 30 minutes.
8. Prepare the icing: Whisk the powdered sugar, melted butter, milk, and almond extract in a large bowl. Add the reserved maraschino cherry juice, starting with 2 tablespoons, and stir until smooth. Adjust with a little extra powdered sugar or cherry juice as needed until it’s a drizzle consistency.
9. Dip the tops of the cooled cookies in the icing and place on a serving tray. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days.
