Bistro Blackened Catfish

Anthony Felan
Bistro Blackened Catfish

Chef Anthony Felan graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Academy in San Fransico, CA, before going on to spend seven years honing his skills in the city's restaurant scene. He returned home to Shreveport, LA, to take the executive chef position at Wine Country Bistro and to help bring farm-to-table awareness to his community through...

Ingredients

Bistro Blackened Catfish

6 8 oz. catfish fillets

2 Tbsp. paprika

5 tsp. salt

2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. Korean chili powder

2 tsp. cayenne

1 1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried oregano

Collard Green Kimchi

6 lbs. Napa cabbage (3 heads)

1 1/2 cup Kosher salt

24 oz. red radish

12 scallions

3/4 cup Korean chili powder

3/4 cup fish sauce

3/4 cup minced fresh ginger

3 Tbsp. minced garlic

3 tsp. granulated sugar

12 cups water

1 bunch collard greens, reserved

Kaffir Lime and Tamarind Crawfish Bisque

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups yellow onions, chopped

2 cups bell peppers, chopped

3 tsp. garlic, minced

4 Tbsp. tamarind paste

4 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 Kaffir lime leaves

1/2 cup sake

12 cups crawfish stock

2 lbs. peeled crawfish tails

1 cup chopped green onion

Salt, pepper, and Tabasco, to taste

Lemon Herb Butter

1/2 cup softened butter

2 lemons, zested

2 tsp. chives, chopped

2 tsp. parsley, chopped

2 tsp. cilantro, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Scallion and Country Ham Hoe Cake

2 cups self-rising flour

2 cups self-rising cornmeal

4 whole eggs

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup scallion, chopped

1/2 cup shaven country ham

1/2 cup canola oil, reserved for frying

Salt and pepper, to taste

Smoked Oyster Aioli

12 fresh smoked oysters

4 egg yolks

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

4 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar

4 dashes Tabasco

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

2 1/2 cups canola oil

Salt and pepper, to taste


Directions

Bistro Blackened Catfish

Place all ingredients except for the fish into a spice grinder and blend. Pat the fish dry. Get a large cast-iron skillet smoking hot, season the catfish fillets to your preference with blackening seasoning and add to the skillet. Cook 3 – 4 minutes per side and remove from heat.

Collard Green Kimchi

Cut all veggies into 1/2 inch pieces. Place all ingredients but the collard greens in a large bowl and toss to combine. Place the mixture inside a sterile glass jar or fermenting pot and use weights or ceramic plates to weigh them down. Cover completely and store in a cool, dark area for 2 weeks. Check day to day to make sure fermentation is taking place. Once mixture is fermented to your liking, take collard greens and chop 1/2” ribbons. Blanch collard greens and fold into kimchi mixture, allowing to sit for 2 days.

Kaffir Lime and Tamarind Crawfish Bisque

Using a large stock pot, add butter and flour to create a light brown roux. Add onions, bell peppers, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, tamarind paste, and Kaffir lime leaves and cook until fragrant. Deglaze with sake and add crawfish stock. Bring to a simmer until thickened, skimming any foam off the top. Taste for seasoning and stir in crawfish tails and green onions.

Lemon Herb Butter

Add all ingredients to a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Blend on medium speed until well combined, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Scallion and Country Ham Hoe Cake

Combine the dry ingredients, then add in all wet ingredients but the oil. In a cast iron skillet, heat 2” of oil over medium-high heat. Using a 2-oz. scoop, portion batter into the hot oil and fry hoe cakes till golden brown on both sides. Test with a toothpick to make sure cakes are cooked through. Drain on paper towel and finish with sea salt.

Smoked Oyster Aioli

Place all ingredients except canola oil into a food processor and process until smooth. With processor running, slowly add canola oil. When your aioli has a nice mayo texture, adjust seasoning to taste.

 To serve, top a hoe cake with herb butter, catfish, aioli, and kimchi and surround with bisque.

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