Spicy Court Bouillon Food

REDFISH COURTBOUILLON

Steps:

• Cut the fillet in 2" cross sections and set aside.
• Melt butter in dutch oven, then add flour and stir until brown.
• Add vegetables and saute until soft.
• Add tomato sauce and cook for 15 minutes.
• Add parsley, bay leaves, thyme and gradually stir in hot water.
• Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
• Drop fish in and cook another 30 minutes.
• Serve over hot rice.

POACHING LIQUID FOR LOBSTER (COURT BOUILLON)

Steps:

• Bring about 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add the wine, coriander, salt, red pepper, thyme, bay leaves, garlic and lemon to the boiling water, and then reduce the heat and simmer, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Place the lobster in the pot and simmer, 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the lobster sit in the hot water 10 minutes.
• Plunge the lobster into a salted ice bath. When completely cool, remove from the ice and serve.

SHRIMP COURTBOUILLON WITH RICE

Steps:

• Drain tomatoes, reserving juice, and finely chop. Bring stock and shrimp shells to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan, then simmer, partially covered, 15 minutes. Pour stock through a sieve into a bowl, discarding shells. (Stock will appear cloudy.) Devein shrimp, then halve lengthwise and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Chill shrimp, covered, until ready to use.
• Melt butter in a 6- to 7-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, then add flour and cook roux, stirring constantly, until the color of peanut butter, 10 to 15 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until bell pepper is softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice, stock, 1 cup water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and cayenne and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer court bouillon, partially covered, 30 minutes.
• While courtbouillon simmers, bring remaining 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan. Add rice and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and return to a boil. Cover pan, then reduce heat to low and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
• Add shrimp to courtbouillon and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir in scallion greens.
• Divide rice among soup plates, then ladle in courtbouillon with shrimp.

COURT BOUILLON FOR POACHING FISH

Steps:

• For the bouillon: Place all ingredients in medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain and reserve. Can be refrigerated 3 days or frozen for months.
• For the fish: Run fingers over fish fillets to feel for tiny bones; if there are any, remove with needlenose pliers or tweezers. Lightly oil or butter the bottom of a deep skillet big enough to fit fish fillets in a single layer and place fish thus in skillet. Bring court bouillon to a simmer. Gently pour court bouillon over the fish, covering completely. Turn heat on very low so that liquid steams but does not quite simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and let fish sit in liquid an additional 5 minutes per inch of thickness. Start checking fish for doneness: a thin knife inserted in thickest part of fillet should meet with just slight resistance. Fish should still be slightly translucent in center. Remove fish from skillet with slotted spatula, blot the bottom lightly with a paper towel, and serve.
• For the almonds: Heat large nonstick skillet over medium flame. Add almonds and cook for 2 minutes, tossing frequently, until light brown and smelling toasty. Reduce heat to low. Drizzle oil over nuts and toss well. Sprinkle soy and lime juice over and toss well. Sprinkle cayenne, black pepper, garlic and scallion white/light greens over and toss very well. Continue to cook, stirring and tossing frequently, for 5 minutes or until nuts are dry and scallion and garlic are soft. Add scallion greens, toss again, and serve over poached bass or snapper with a wedge of lime.
• For the emulsion: Wash watercress and remove the thickest stems. Bring medium pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Have a medium bowl of ice water at hand for refreshing. When water returns to the boil, plunge watercress in and cook for 30 seconds. Drain watercress and quickly drop in ice water. When thoroughly chilled, drain watercress again and lightly squeeze out water. Chop blanched watercress roughly on cutting board. Place in blender and puree, adding a little water if necessary to get the mixture going. With blender running, gradually pour in oil until emulsion is formed. Add rest of salt and pepper, puree again and taste, adjusting seasoning if needed. Serve over poached salmon.

HALIBUT IN SPICED COURT BOUILLON

Steps:

• In a 4- to 6-quart heavy saucepan bring wine and water to a boil with onion, carrot, celery, spices and salt and simmer 20 minutes. Add oil and halibut and poach fish at a bare simmer, covered, until just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer fish with a slotted spoon to 2 plates. Spoon court bouillon over fish. Sprinkle fish with fresh coriander and garnish with lemon wedges.

SPICY LANGOUSTINE BROTH (BOUILLON DE LANGOUSTINE EPICE)

Steps:

• In a heavy-duty roasting pan or in a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add the shells and sear until they turn bright pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the orange quarters, fennel seeds, star anise, 4 quarts cold water, the tomatoes, bay leaves, garlic, chile peppers, sea salt, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and boil vigorously for 30 minutes. To extract the maximum flavor from the shells, use a wooden mallet to crush and break them up while the soup is cooking. Line a large colander with a double layer of dampened cheesecloth, and place the colander over a large bowl. Ladle the broth into the colander, discarding the solids. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm in small cups as an appetizer, or in warmed shallow soup bowls as a first course.

COURT BOUILLON

Steps:

• Cut up leek, carrot, and celery and in a large saucepan bring to a boil with remaining ingredients. Boil mixture 10 minutes and pour through a fine sieve into a bowl. Court bouillon keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days or, frozen, 2 months.

LOUISIANA COURT-BOUILLON (OR CAJUN COURT BOUILLON)

Steps:

• Cut fish into 3 inch chunks and sprinkle with creole seasoning. Set in fridge.
• Cook veggies in butter until tender.
• Add roux (either use 4 tablespoons flour browned in a pan or oven or make with 4 tablespoons flour browned in 3 tablespoons butter).
• Add bay leaves.
• Add stock, tomatoes, other liquid ingredients and salt and pepper. Note: chicken stock or clam juice (or both) can be used if you have no fish stock.
• Simmer 20 minutes.
• Add fish, seasonings, and parsley and simmer gently for 15 more minutes.
• Adjust seasonings to taste.
• Serve with rice in bowl.

COURT BOUILLON

Steps:

• Fit a 10-quart fish poacher with a rack in the bottom, and place the poacher over 2 burners on top of the stove (or use a large stockpot). Fill with 7 quarts water (about three-quarters full). Tie the thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and fennel seeds together in a small piece of cheesecloth to make a bouquet garni, and place in the poacher; add the wine, leek, carrots, lemon, bay leaves, and salt. Cover, and bring to a simmer. Uncover; gently simmer for 30 minutes. Discard the bouquet garni. Let the bouillon cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. The bouillon can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.