SEAFOOD SAUCE PIQUANTE ST. JAMES

Prep Time: 1½ Hours
Yields: 10 Servings

Comment:
Seafood sauce piquante is a great example of the combination of different influences in Creole cooking. The piquant sauce, meaning hot or spicy, gets its flavor from the hot Spanish peppers that came to Louisiana from South America. The French brown roux adds color and enhances flavor in the dish. Five to six pounds of turtle or other domestic meat may be substituted for the seafood.

Ingredients:
6 redfish fillets, cubed
1 pound crawfish tails
1 pound claw crab meat
3 pounds (50–60 count) shrimp
1½ cups vegetable oil
1½ cups flour
3 cups diced onions
2 cups diced celery
1 cup diced bell peppers
½ cup minced garlic
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 (10-ounce) cans RO*TEL®
1 gallon hot water or seafood stock
salt and black pepper to taste
granulated garlic to taste
Louisiana hot sauce to taste
2 cups sliced green onions
1 cup chopped parsley

Method:
In a 12-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly until a dark brown roux is achieved. Add onions, celery and bell peppers. Cook 3–5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Stir in minced garlic and tomato sauce. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add RO*TEL®. Pour in hot stock, one cup at a time, until it a stew-like consistency is achieved. Do not use all of stock. Bring to a rolling boil then reduce to simmer and add ¼ of all seafood. Cook 30–40 minutes, adding stock as necessary to maintain consistency. Season to taste with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and hot sauce. Add remaining seafood, green onions and parsley. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to simmer and cook 3–5 minutes or until seafood are well done but not overcooked. Stew should be the consistency of a heavy whipping cream. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve hot over steamed white rice.