| Comment:
Cacciatore is a dish that usually takes hours to create. In the
city of New Orleans, the Italians created this recipe in order to
speed up the process while retaining the great flavor.
Ingredients:
6 (6–8 ounce) catfish fillets
¾ cup olive oil
¾ cup flour
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced celery
½ cup diced bell peppers
2 tbsps minced garlic
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 (16-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 tsp chopped thyme
1 tbsp chopped basil
1 tsp chopped oregano
2 quarts water or fish stock
2 cups sliced mushrooms
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
½ cup sliced green onions
¼ cup chopped parsley
6 cups cooked spaghetti
Method:
If using fresh fish, you may with to bone the fillets and use the
bones to create a rich fish stock. (See stock recipes on our Web
site.) Cut 2 fillets into 1-inch cubes. Cut remaining fillets in
3 equal pieces. Set aside and keep cool. In a heavy-bottomed Dutch
oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk
until a golden brown roux is achieved. Sauté onions, celery,
bell peppers and garlic in Dutch oven 3–5 minutes or until
vegetables are wilted. Add catfish cubes, tomato sauce and stewed
tomatoes with liquid. Blend well into roux mixture. Add bay leaves,
thyme, basil and oregano. Stir well then add water or fish stock.
Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally until roux is dissolved.
Reduce heat to simmer, add mushrooms and season lightly with salt
and pepper. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. While sauce
is cooking, boil spaghetti according to package directions and keep
hot. Stir in green onions and parsley. Adjust seasonings if necessary
with salt and pepper. Add fish fillets and allow them to poach 10–12
minutes, being careful not to stir aggressively, as this will break
fish. Serve over hot spaghetti.
|
