Pan Fried Flounder in Étouffée Sauce

Take yourself all the way to Louisiana and get yourself some tasty cajun and creole cooking. Or, stay home, use what’s available in your local fisheries and put your own spin on one of Louisiana’s most venerable dishes.

At Old Salt we are talking a lot about inshore and on shore fishing opportunities this month. Flounder is one of the species readily available fishing inshore, from the shore or off a pier. It also happens to comport very well in cajun and creole dishes substituting nicely for Catfish in particular. This recipe is a Florida/Louisiana fusion, inspired by the teachings of Chef Paul Prudhomme without whom kitchen creativity and risk taking might never have caught a fire with me. The dish borrows its name, in part, from a dish (Catfish T-Red) served at the Cajun Cafe on the Bayou in Pinellas Park, FL.

Florisiana cuisine you might call it. Please enjoy.

A Florida Take On A Louisiana Classic

Ingredients

Étouffée

Flour: 1/2 Cup

Butter: 6 Tbsp

White Pepper: 1/2 Tsp.

Cajun Seasoning: 2 Tbsp

Dried Oregano: 1/2 Tbsp

Green Pepper: 1 Large

Yellow/Spanish Onion: 2

Celery: 5 Stalks

Garlic: 4 Cloves

Hot Pepper Powder: Pinch (or to taste)

Seasoned Vinegar: 2-3 Splashes *

Fish Stock: 32 oz. * Where possible I prefer home made shrimp stock…. don’t always have it on hand. In place of I recommend Bar Harbor Seafood Stock or comparable. High quality stock makes for a high quality Étouffée sauce.

Breading

Flour: 1 1/2 Cups

Eggs: 2

Milk: 1/2 Cup

Cajun Seasoning: 3 Tbsp.

White Pepper: 1/2 Tsp

Salt: Couple of Grinds

Fish

Flounder

Cooking Directions

For The Étouffée

The aromatics….! What would cajun cooking be without the holy trinity? Chop, slice and dice the Omion, Green Pepper and Celery (garlic too…) and set aside for now.

Let’s make a roux to get things off on the right foot. In a cast iron skillet, melt 2/3 of the butter over medium to medium high heat. As the butter starts to bubble and froth whisk in the flour, white pepper & cajun seasoning – adjusting heat as needed. 2-3 minutes.

Add in the aromatics, cooking over appropriate heat for 3-4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, cooking an additional 2-3 minutes.

Stir in your fish stock, set heat to simmer and cook the entire mixture, stirring frequently for 30-40 minutes.

Étouffée Sauce

The Breading

While the Étouffée sauce is simmering, combine eggs and milk. Whisk to mix well.

Combine and mix the flour, white pepper, Cajun seasoning and salt.

The Fish

Pour and heat to frying temp (not too high) 1/3 inch of oil in a cast iron skillet. Dredge the Flounder in the flour then the milk/egg mixture and back though the flour one more time on the way to the pan. Pan fry the Flounder 2 minutes per side and remove to paper towels to drain.

I usually serve this dish over rice…. all kinds of rice. For this meal I chose Jasmine rice

Smother the Flounder & rice with the Étouffée sauce and you have Founder T-Red. Enjoy and tight lines…..