Creole Catfish in Court Bouillon

3#     Catfish whole (1)
1t      Salt
tt       Pepper black
tt       Red Pepper flakes
8oz   Onions
6oz   Celery stalks
6oz   Bell Pepper green
2oz   Parsley sprigs
2cl    Garlic
1#    Tomatoes ripe
3T    Oil
3T    Flour
ar     Stock or Water
2      Lemon slice
1     Bay Leaf
2     Thyme sprig

Instructions

1. Cut CATFISH into segments about 1 inch thick and coat with SALT, PEPPER and RED PEPPER. Set aside for about 3/4 hour. You can simmer the heads and tails to make a light stock to enrich the court bouillon if you wish.
2. Dice ONIONS, CELERY and BELL PEPPER small. Chop PARSLEY and GARLIC small. Mix all.
3. In a heavy bottom pot hat OIL and fry FLOUR slowly stirring until it reaches the color of peanut butter, then pour in the vegetables.
4. Fry the Vegetable mix stirring until wilted down but still quite firm - don't overcook.
5. Off the heat remove about half the vegetables, arrange the Catfish chunks in the pot and pour the removed vegetables back in and work them around the fish. Add just enough stock or water to come up near the surface of the vegetables - not too much.
6. Bring the pot up to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover tightly and simmer slowly until the fish flakes easily, about 20 minutes. You can shake the pan to keep things freed up but do not stir, it'll break up the fish.
7. Serve immediately with plenty of rice.

NOTES:

1. Catfish: 3 pounds of whole catfish yields a little over 2 pounds of segments without the head or tail.

Note from # - I would use bonless filets cut in pieces

2. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch
umf_catfshcreole1 060402 final

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