Cold Poached Redfish with Pepper and Pear, Yogurt, and Cilantro Sauce

Chef Lazone Randolph

Poached Louisiana redfish filets, large Louisiana shrimp with a yogurt dressing, herbs and spices.
Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 large yellow pepper
1 large red pepper
16 wild-caught Louisiana shrimp, (26–30 count) headless
kosher salt, to taste
ground cayenne pepper, to taste
3/4 cup light olive oil, in all
4 6-ounce pieces redfish steaks
4 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 rib of celery
1 bay leaf
2 large pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 cups low-fat yogurt
2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro
1/2 pound spring mix or baby spinach
juice of 1 small lemon

Directions

Remove the membranes from the peppers and slice them vertically into 4 pieces each.
Peel and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tail on. Baste lightly with 1/4 cup oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and cayenne to taste. Set aside.
Cut 4 pieces of aluminum foil large enough to wrap each fish steak, brush lightly with the remaining 1/4 cup of oil to prepare fish for poaching.
Sprinkle each piece of fish with the shallots, kosher salt and cayenne. Place each piece of fish on the individual pieces of foil and wrap tightly to form a bundle. Set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add 6 cups of water, the peppers, rib of celery, bay leaf, and kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a gentle simmer; allow to simmer for approximately 5 minutes, add the foil-wrapped fish to the pan and poach for another 15 minutes. Remove the mixture from the stove, draining off the water and discarding the bay leaf and celery. Remove the fish from the foil and reserve 1/2 cup of the poaching liquid from inside the bundles. Chill the poaching liquid, fish, and peppers separately in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat a griddle or grill pan over high heat. Place the shrimp in the pan and grill 3 minutes on each side, until shrimp are pink. Remove from the pan and chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
Place the pears into a blender and purée. Remove from the blender and place in a strainer to allow any excess liquid to drain. Place in a medium bowl and add the low-fat yogurt. Stir until well blended. Add the cilantro and stir again until nicely incorporated.
Remove the shrimp, poaching liquid, peppers, and fish from the refrigerator. Add 1/4 cup of light olive oil and the lemon juice to the poaching liquid and whisk well.
Divide the spring mix or baby spinach among 4 large plates. Place the yogurt sauce in the middle of each pepper section. Drizzle the light olive oil mixture over the greens. Place a piece of fish in the middle of each plate, surrounded by 4 grilled shrimp. Position 1 yellow and 1 red pepper section on the side of each plate.

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