Anybody have a good recipe for good old fashioned fish stew?
Below is one that I use as a guide, of sorts. I never follow a recipe and I always make a roux; usually with a combination of canola oil and bacon grease with the flour, simmer until chocolate colored then add ingredients per recipe, or as you wish to ammend…I don’t use the tomato sauce, just diced tomatoes and I use stock from the shrimp hulls instead of chicken with the clam juice. This is originally fro cooks.com… I think.
1/2 stick butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 to 4 lg. cloves of garlic
4 c. diced onions
4 c. celery (sliced in 1/4 inch pieces, use some of the celery tops as well)
1 qt. chicken stock
1 qt. clam juice/fish stock
1 tbsp. summer savory leaves
1 tbsp. sweet basil leaves
1 tbsp. oregano leaves
1 tbsp. parsley leaves
1 c. dry red wine (Port is very good)
4 cans (16 oz.) stewed tomatoes
1 can (16 oz.) tomato sauce
Saute onions and celery in butter and olive oil. Add chicken stock and clam juice/fish stock. Add the stewed tomatoes and the tomato sauce. Allow to simmer approximately 15 to 20 minutes. NOTE: If a thicker broth is desirable, thicken it with a Rue.
Seafood preparation: Amounts will vary depending on the quantity desired. Fish: use a fish that will remain firm during the cooking process. Shrimp: if shrimp is used, save the shells and cook in some of the chicken broth, adding to stock ultimately, discard shells. Clams use small clams. Scallops. Place all of the above in bowl adding lemon juice and salt to taste and allow to marinate for approximately 15 minutes.
NOTE: My method of putting this fish stew together is to make a large pot of the stock and freezing portions of it for later use. I add the seafood/fish at time of use. When doing this heat stock to simmer and place seafood fish in stock until done, keeping in mind that the fish cooks quickly.
PS, I do cook the stew a bit longer before adding the seafood to meld all of the flavors…
The best catfish stew I ever had was made by on old guy in Beaufort. I asked him for the recipe and his reply was “you just keep putting’ in and putting in till it looks like stew”. I said OK. It was a tomato base with lots of chunked catfish and had some lump crab in there. Corn off the cob and diced taters and who knows what else.
oc
What ever recipe you use, I always lightly boil my fish separate drain and pick through to add last. I don’t like a strong fish taste but do like to have big fish chunks.
If I do one for my dad I pour in the fish stock because he likes the strong fish taste.
Pretty much any fish can be substituted for catfish. Had some this summer where Cobia was used. Darn good! with nice firm chunks of tasty fish.
My advise would be to try several recipes but cut them in half or less if you can easy. What I found is that I like a tomato thinner base with some type of fish, while a bit heavier with others. Size and type of veggies, combinations of fish(this is a biggy) are all things you will adjust to what you like.
You will eat stews more often, because your not eating the other 2 gallons of one you don’t care for. Soon you will find that group of combinations that works for what you have to work with. Best one I have ever eaten was a freezer clean out one year, 8-9 types of fish.
quote:
[i]Pretty much any fish can be substituted for catfish. Had some this summer where Cobia was used. Darn good! with nice firm chunks of tasty fish.
Been wondering about using Cobia for some time…Thanks, Fred.
NN
07, 23 Key West, Twin 115 Yammys
“Coastal Bound”
I like to keep my catfish stew simple and have been making it this way for 35 years. Everybody who eats it seems to enjoy.
5 lbs. catfish
3 lbs. potatoes, diced
2 lbs. onions, chopped
2 - 24 ounce cans of diced tomatoes
1 - 32 ounce bottle of ketchup (I use Hunts, but don’t use Heinz because it leaves an after taste)
12 cubes of beef bouillon (originally I used ■■■■■■■, but the bouillon is healthier)
Salt to taste
Texas Pete to taste
Cook fish separately in water and debone. If fillets are used, flake the fillets when done. Return fish to the stock.
Cook onions and potatoes in water and leave in the water when done.
Combine cooked fish, onions, and potatoes and the water in which they were cooked.
Add the canned tomatoes, ketchup , bouillon cubes, salt, and Texas Pete.
Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a low heat and allow to simmer for one hour. If a thinner stew is desired add water while simmering.
Remove from burner and allow to cool before refrigerating overnight. Letting the stew sit overnight will give the ingredients an opportunity to blend.
Reheat, serve, and enjoy.
quote:
Originally posted by oakridgeI like to keep my catfish stew simple and have been making it this way for 35 years. Everybody who eats it seems to enjoy.
5 lbs. catfish
3 lbs. potatoes, diced
2 lbs. onions, chopped
2 - 24 ounce cans of diced tomatoes
1 - 32 ounce bottle of ketchup (I use Hunts, but don’t use Heinz because it leaves an after taste)
12 cubes of beef bouillon (originally I used ■■■■■■■, but the bouillon is healthier)
Salt to taste
Texas Pete to tasteCook fish separately in water and debone. If fillets are used, flake the fillets when done. Return fish to the stock.
Cook onions and potatoes in water and leave in the water when done.
Combine cooked fish, onions, and potatoes and the water in which they were cooked.
Add the canned tomatoes, ketchup , bouillon cubes, salt, and Texas Pete.
Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a low heat and allow to simmer for one hour. If a thinner stew is desired add water while simmering.
Remove from burner and allow to cool before refrigerating overnight. Letting the stew sit overnight will give the ingredients an opportunity to blend.
Reheat, serve, and enjoy.
Pretty close to what I do except I like a pound of browned bacon and a little celery in mine. For the healthy side I don’t put the bacon grease in it, the dogs get it over their food.
MMMM bacon!
Hey Fred 67,I think I may try some celery and cooked bacon in my next stew. Thanks!!
The Cajuns have this down pat. There are dozens of recipes online for Catfish Court Bouillion (pronounced KOO-be-yon). Here is one:
Catfish Courtbouillion: Recipe
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 bunch green onion tops, chopped
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup (8 ounces) water
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
3 pounds of catfish (preferably Spotted, but Blue may be substituted)
Put 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a #14 cast iron pot. Put a thin layer of a mixture of all the vegetables but the green onions and parsley on the bottom of the pot. Follow with a single, loose layer of fish pieces. Sprinkle some of a mixture of the seasonings and some of the flour on top of the fish. Drizzle some of the tomato sauce and water over the seasonings. Repeat the layering process, adding more flour, seasonings, vegetables, and tomato sauce as needed until there is no more fish left. Boil, covered, over a very low heat for thirty to forty-five minutes. Add the green onions and parsley and cook for another five minutes. Serve over boiled rice.
YIELD: serves 6
I haven’t made it in years, but it used to be a regular dish at my house.
13ft Whaler with 25hp Johnson
If you’re lucky enough to be fishing, you’re lucky enough.
My Grandfather’s old Lowcountry catfish stew:
4 oz salted sidemeat, diced
2 c water
1/4 ts black pepper
1 ts hot sauce, or to taste
1 ts Worcestershire sauce
6 oz can tomato sauce
4 c cooked rice
6 med onions, quartered, sliced
3 tb butter or margarine
1/4 ts red pepper
1 ts salt
28 oz can tomatoes, cut up
1/2 c catsup
3 lb catfish fillets, cut into serving size pieces
Cook sidemeat until crisp. Remove and save. Slowly fry onions in grease. Add water and butter; simmer until blended. Add remaining ingredients (except fish, rice, and sidemeat). Stir to blend. Simmer slowly for 2 hours. The longer it cooks the better. Add fish, do not stir. Simmer slowly until fish is tender. Drop in sidemeat. Serve on rice. Serves 6-8.
Why is everyone’s recipe missing okra?
quote:
Originally posted by Mac509Why is everyone’s recipe missing okra?
Because okra needs to be boiled and eaten all by itself. just kidding, gets a bit slimy like that.
red stew is o.k. but we have always made a white stew. my dad used to make the best when he was alive. i have his 8 gallon rolled rim cast iron pot that we always used. it has made a lot of chicken stew and chicken bog in there also.
How about a white fish stew? The best I ever had was at Cayce Bait and Tackle many moons ago. I am not sure If the beverages contributed or not. Recipes for white stew?
Redfish believe it or not makes a good fish stew.
I don’t measure anything in mine either…
cut taters into hunks, chopped onions, butts meat or bacon, salt ,pepper. little cayenne, maybe dash of hot sauce, broth, little water,tomato sauce, diced or stewed 'maters, ketchup if low on one or the other…sometimes shrimp or crab meat…slow simmer… and serve over little white rice too. corn bread on the side doesn’t hurt either 
miss’n fish’n
212 SEAHUNT CC
Sea Squirt 16
Here’s a couple of variations on a red stew that we’ve tried and liked. Use V-8 juice in place of tomato juice or sauce. Use Zing Zang or other pre-made bloody mary mix, but remember, some of them can be quite spicy so you may need to hold back on some of the other spices.
Molon Labe!
Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. - Anatole France (paraphrased)
RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.
quote:
Originally posted by BowhunterHere’s a couple of variations on a red stew that we’ve tried and liked. Use V-8 juice in place of tomato juice or sauce. Use Zing Zang or other pre-made bloody mary mix, but remember, some of them can be quite spicy so you may need to hold back on some of the other spices.
Molon Labe!
Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. - Anatole France (paraphrased)
RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.
off topic but…
Haven’t had some zing zang in awhile. Good in a beer, better to use to boil shrimp. Peel and de-vein some shrimp let them soak in halve zing zang and beer for a bit then bring to a very slight boil and set aside … enjoy some shrimp.
quote:
Originally posted by Fred67quote:
Originally posted by BowhunterHere’s a couple of variations on a red stew that we’ve tried and liked. Use V-8 juice in place of tomato juice or sauce. Use Zing Zang or other pre-made bloody mary mix, but remember, some of them can be quite spicy so you may need to hold back on some of the other spices.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>off topic but…
Haven’t had some zing zang in awhile. Good in a beer, better to use to boil shrimp. Peel and de-vein some shrimp let them soak in halve zing zang and beer for a bit then bring to a very slight boil and set aside … enjoy some shrimp.
I’ve used Zing Zang in several dishes including shrimp creole, Frogmore stew, etc., and I’ve used it to simply boil shrimp, also.
Molon Labe!
Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. - Anatole France (paraphrased)
RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.