# Fish Recipes



## adam1228 (Mar 3, 2011)

Nambaster's thread asking for fried catfish recipes got me thinking, and I thought that I would post a couple more of my favorite catfish recipes. These are both good with any whitfish. Wondering what to do with the 25 lbs of fresh fish filets you have after a weekend of fishing? Well, try one of these out...


BLACKENED CATFISH ENCHILIDAS

You can make this as fresh as you want, and I'm going to also include my recipes for the salsas and sauces that I use, but you can substitute pre made salsa if you'd like but I definitely recommend making em fresh. 

2-3 lbs catfish filets, rinsed and pat dry
1-2 couple tablespoons olive oil
2-3 tablespoons blackening seasoning (I make a blend myself, but there are a couple good mixes on the market)
1 head green or red cabbage, whichever you prefer, chopped into strips
2 cups lime cream sauce (recipe to follow)
1 cup fresh pico de gallo (I will post my recipe for this as well)
2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons chipotle sauce(any chipotle salsa will work, but this is key. The smokey flavor really sets off the other flavors. I will buy a small can of chipotle peppers at the grocery store and blend it up til mostly smooth.)
2 cups fried tortilla strips (or simply break up some regular tortilla chips)
12 flour tortillas

Heat oven to 375
In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil over med heat
Season the fish with the blackening seasoning, cook in the olive oil until cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side, until just flaky. 
Assemble the enchilada as follows...
Lay a tortilla flat, add a small handfull of tortilla chips. Add a small handfull of cabbage strips on top. Place about 1/4 pound of fish on that. Top that with a tablespoon of pico. add a small handful of cheese. Roll up fairly tightly, place seam side down in a 13x9 baking dish. Reapeat. You may need 2 baking dishes, this will make about 12 enchiladas. 
When all the enchiladas are assembled and in the baking dish, cover with lime cream sauce. Add more cheese, covering the top. 
Bake in 375 oven for 20-25 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted. 
Top lightly with sour cream and the chpotle sauce. I like this served with white rice and black beans.


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## adam1228 (Mar 3, 2011)

LIME CREAM SAUCE

1 stick of butter 
1/2 cup of flour
1.5-2 cups milk
3-5 limes, juiced
1/2 tsp red pepper
1/2 tsp crushed oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed basil

melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat
Add flour, stir together and cook until hot and bubbly
Add red pepper, oregano, basil and salt.
Add milk, 1/2 cup at a time. Heat until simmering before adding more milk...this is the best way to adjust consistency. The sauce will be as thick as it will get when simmering. If it's too thick, add more milk. Sorry, but I cannot get more accurate with the amount of milk then that. After the initial cup of milk has been added, add the lime juice and mix well. this part is kinda tricky...adjusting the liquid to make the sauce the right thickness. You know its right when you dip a spoon into it and it coats the back of the spoon. Reduce heat to low, stir ofen until ready to use.

This sauce is great on catfish enchiladas. It's also very good on pasta, garlic mashed potatoes, stuffed pork tenderloin...the list goes on and on. There are also tons of variations, based on what you are serving it on. Use spices that you like...give it more or less heat, make it thicker or thinner, based on what youre using it for.


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## adam1228 (Mar 3, 2011)

PICO DE GALLO

This is a great fresh salsa. It will stay good in the fridge for 3 or 4 days, but it never lasts that long around my place. Adjust the amount of peppers to your liking for heat. as lited it will be on the cool side of medium.

1 lb tomatoes, seeded and diced (I prefer Romas , but an will work.)
1 large yellow onion, diced (Or substitute a red onion, if you prefer the flavor. I go back and forth here)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, well chopped
2-3 fresh Jalapenos, diced small
1-2 fresh Serrano peppers, diced small
juice of 3-4 limes
1/4-1/2 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients well. I will adjust the amount of lime juice and salt to taste. If it's too hot, you can always add more tomatoes. Not hot enough, add more peppers. Super simple recipe, but delicious. It's good served immediately, but the flavors will really blend together nicely if you refrigerate over night. It will also get juicier overnight as the salt pulls some of the liquid out of the ingredients, and in effect the veggie chunks are marinating in their own mingled juices. 

This is the best chip dip salsa I have ever found. And it's great mixed with some cooked white rice and black beans, with a dab of sour cream. There are hundreds of uses for this.

I also like this in guacamole. Dice up a couple of really ripe avocados, add 1-2 tbsp of pico, add about a tbsp of sour cream, and mix well. Guac also gets a little better if allowed to sit in the fridge overnight, but it can turn brown quick. Either add a little lime juice right on top, do not mix in, or cover with a layer of plastic wrap right on the guac, pressed onto the surface to keep out the air.


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## adam1228 (Mar 3, 2011)

FISH TACOS

Similar to the Enchiladas, but a little quicker, and definitely good in their own right.

2-3 lbs catfish filets
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons blackening spices (or cajun, or creaole...whatever you like. I will post my blackening spice blend soon.)
1 head cabbage, chopped, red or green. I like red for the color contrast. (You eat first with your eyes, ya know)
1/2 cup fresh pico de gallo
1/2 cup fresh tomatillo salsa (recipe to follow)
Sour Cream
12 flour tortillas

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat
Rinse and pat dry the fish. Season with the blackening spices. 
Add fish to skillet, cook until just flaky and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes each side, depending on thickness. 
Add a small handful of the chopped cabbage to a tortilla
add a dallop of sour cream. 
Add about 1/4 lb of fish. top with 1 tsp -1 tbsp pico and same amount ot tomatillo salsa

That's it. Pretty simple. Enjoy!


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## adam1228 (Mar 3, 2011)

TOMATILLO SALSA

This is great withfish dishes. I also like to use it with pok and chicken. Brown the meat in olive oil, then simmer in this salsa until tender, an hour or more. Good stuff.

1.5-2 lbs fresh tomatillos
1 large yellow onion, diced small
2-3 Jalapenos, diced small
1-2 Serranos, diced small
1/2 cup well chopped cilantro
juice of 3-4 limes
1/4-1/2 tsp salt

Heat oven to 375
Peel the husk off the tomatillos and rinse. Cut in half and place cut side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Roast in over until soft, 8-10 minutes.
Blend all infredients well in a blender on high speed. Taste, and adjust to your taste. You can add more salt and lime juice if desired. I like this one with a lot of lime juice, for a strong citrus flavor. 
It can be served as is...it will be warm. You can also chill in the fridge before serving. This is good as a chip dip, added to fish tacos or other fish dishes. I also like it as a chicken enchilada sauce, just make it with a little less lime.


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

I will make every single one of these recipes... I just need to get out... 2 summers ago I froze 4 5lb bags of pure catfish meat... Time to replenish my inventory...


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