Redfish and Shrimp Courtbouillon

Courtbouillon (pronounced “koo-bee-yon”) is a Cajun fish stew. Keep the heads and tails on your shrimp for maximum flavor in this version.

Makes 6 to 8 servings (photo on page 53)

¾ pound skinless redfish fillets, cut into 1½- to 2-inch pieces 5 teaspoons Cajun seasoning*, divided ¾ pound head-on large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails left on) 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 1½ cups finely chopped yellow onion ¾ cup finely chopped green bell pepper ¾ cup finely chopped celery ¼ cup finely chopped green onion 8 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme 1 dried bay leaf 2 cups seafood stock, room temperature

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes ¼ cup dry sherry

Kosher salt and ground black

pepper, to taste

Hot cooked rice, to serve

Garnish: chopped green onion

Toss together redfish and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning in a large bowl. In another large bowl, toss together shrimp and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Cover and refrigerate.

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add yellow onion, bell pepper, celery, green onion, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over vegetables; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring and scraping bottom of pot frequently, until paste is caramelized and darkened in color, 7 to 10 minutes.

Add thyme, bay leaf, and remaining 3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning to onion mixture. Gradually whisk in stock, scraping browned bits from bottom of pot with a wooden spoon. Add tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer for 30 minutes.

Add fish to stew; simmer for 10 minutes. Add shrimp and sherry; simmer until fish flakes easily with a fork and shrimp is pink, 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately with rice. Garnish with green onion, if desired.

*We used Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning.