Fish in a great sauce poured over creamy grits is comfort food at its best. Here the choice is smoked catfish since I'm allergic to shellfish. Also, I prefer very creamy cheese grits and the results are amazing!
FOR THE BRINE:
Whisk together the first nine ingredients until the salt and sugar have dissolved. I like to do this the night before to allow the dry spices to really marry into the liquids but this brine is actually ready once the salt and sugar have mixed. Place the catfish in a container or plastic bag and submerge in the brine. Depending on the thickness of the fish, you really only need to brine for 2-3 hours. Anything more and you are running the risk of the fish being way too salty which will impact the final dish.
Remove from the brine and smoke for 60-90 minutes at no more than 200 degrees. It's important to watch your fish and make sure you do not fully cook it here because if you do, then finishing it in the sauce may result in less than favorable results.
FOR THE SAUCE:
While the fish is smoking, prepare the sauce. Heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until crispy. Remove half the bacon and set aside. Add the onion, celery peppers and saute with the bacon until they begin to brown and almost all of the liquid has evaporated. You can omit the olive oil if you'd like and just use the rendered bacon fat. Add the garlic, paprika, and aleppo pepper and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Use more or less paprika, aleppo pepper and cumin to your liking. Add the wine and simmer to reduce in half. Add the chicken stock and reduce by almost half again. At this point, at salt and season to your liking. I prefer not to add say any sooner because the flavor will concentrate with the reduction and it is easy to over sauce. I also want the other flavors to be star and use salt only the brighten them. Cut the smoked catfish into 1-2 inch chunks and add to sauce. Turn heat to lowest setting and cook for 3-5 minutes in the simmering sauce.
FOR THE GRITS:
Add the water, stock, milk and salt to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. The stock and milk are actually optional and you can just use water if that is your preference. In this recipe, I preferred a little added flavor and extra creaminess from the milk fat. You are boiling milk so keep a close eye on it or it will boil over immediately. Once it is about to boil, begin whisking in the grits vigorously an keep them moving until fully incorporated and beginning to boil again. Reduce heat to lowest setting, cover and continue to cook the grits for five minutes, stirring often with whisk to prevent clumping. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Depending on the type of grits you are using, you will have to adjust the cooking process according to the package directions. Once the grits are done, add the cheese to your taste and cream to your liking.
PLATING:
Spoon the cheese grits into a bowl and ladle some of the fish and sauce over the top. Sprinkle a few crispy bacon bits and top with some chopped herbs for a bit of brightness in each bite. ENJOY!!!
This recipe can be adapted to any fish you like - smoked, fried, baked, breaded. Just adjust the cooking of the fish to the style you prefer. In this recipe, I adjusted the smoking time to get good smokiness in the fish while not fully cooking it and allowing it to finish cooking in the sauce. Ideally you should try to time the fish to come off the smoker once the sauce is ready for it or a little before. Do not use chicken bouillon or other salted stocks or broths as they will add lots of salt and possibly undesirable flavor profiles to your finished product. I prefer using my homemade chicken stock and would always recommend the freshest, highest quality ingredients you can find. You'd be surprised at the incredible difference between Penzey's Smoked Paprika, for example, versus a cheap smoked paprika at your grocery store. Also, feel free to use cayenne instead of aleppo. I just prefer the sweet heat and smokiness of aleppo.
View line-by-line Nutrition Insights™: Discover which ingredients contribute the calories/sodium/etc.
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Serving Size: 1 Serving (1250g) | ||
Recipe Makes: 6 Servings | ||
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Calories: 1137 | ||
Calories from Fat: 478 (42%) | ||
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Amt Per Serving | % DV | |
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Total Fat 53.1g | 71 % | |
Saturated Fat 31.4g | 157 % | |
Monounsaturated Fat 16.3g | ||
Polyunsanturated Fat 2.2g | ||
Cholesterol 198.3mg | 61 % | |
Sodium 6606.5mg | 228 % | |
Potassium 3845.6mg | 101 % | |
Total Carbohydrate 110.3g | 32 % | |
Dietary Fiber 5.8g | 23 % | |
Sugars, other 104.5g | ||
Protein 59.1g | 84 % | |
Powered by: USDA Nutrition Database Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are derived from linked ingredients (shown at left in colored bullets) and may or may not be complete. Always consult a licensed nutritionist or doctor if you have a nutrition-related medical condition. |
Calories per serving: 1137
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