• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Subscribe
Subscribe by email Connect on Facebook Connect on Pinterest Follow Me on Instagram

Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Finding the Forgotten Feast

  • Shop
  • Video Course
  • Stories
  • About
    • Public Events
    • Privacy Policy
  • Wild Game
    • Venison Recipes
    • Duck Recipes and Goose Recipes
    • Rabbits, Hares and Squirrels
    • Pheasants, Turkey, Quail
    • Dove Recipes
    • Wild Pig and Bear Recipes
    • My Best Taco Recipes
    • Wild Game Sauces
  • Charcuterie
    • Homemade Sausage Recipes
    • Smoker Recipes
    • Bacon, Jerky, Hams, etc
    • Salami Recipes
    • Confit, Pate, Terrines
  • Fish
    • General Fish Recipes
    • Salmon Recipes
    • Snapper Recipes
    • Crabs, Shellfish and Squid
    • Little Fish and Oddballs
  • Gathering
    • Preservation Recipes
    • Mushrooms
    • Sweet Things
    • Wild Greens and Herbs
    • Acorns, Nuts, Starches
  • Podcast
Home » Fish » Catfish Courtbouillon

Catfish Courtbouillon

By Hank Shaw on June 24, 2019, Updated June 6, 2022 - 14 Comments

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
4.71 from 17 votes
Print Friendly, PDF & Email
A platter of catfish courtbouillon.
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

I’ve eaten catfish six ways to Sunday, but Louisiana Chef Don Link’s catfish courtbuillon takes the prize, hands down.

I had heard of catfish courtbuillon, pronounced something like “coo-be-YON,” for years, but, well, was kinda unimpressed. Then I sat at the bar at Cochon, in New Orleans. As I was working my way through the menu, I saw catfish courtbuillon. If any place would make a good version of it, it’s Cochon.

So I tried it. And was blown away.

Courtbuillon as I knew it was a sort of homey, one pot gumbo-like thing, with chunks of catfish floating in a vaguely tomatoey stew. This was not that. Chef Link’s version features a fillet of catfish, fried in cornmeal, sauced with everything in the traditional catfish courtbuillon — tomatoes, peppers, onions, celery, garlic, herbs — and served alongside simple steamed rice.

Somehow there was still a bit of crunch to the breading on the fish, and the sauce was light, bright and just a shade zippy with cayenne and lemon. Of all the wonderful things I ate that night, this was the most memorable, because it shouldn’t have been, but was.

Thankfully Chef Link published his recipe in his excellent book Down South: Bourbon, Pork, Gulf Shrimp & Second Helpings of Everything. My version only slightly differs. I didn’t want to mess with perfection.

Home » Fish » Catfish Courtbouillon
A bowl of seafood gumbo

Seafood Gumbo

Looking for another Cajun seafood classic? Try my seafood gumbo.

Read More about Seafood Gumbo

Catfish is of course traditional, as is gaspergou (freshwater drum), but you can make courtbuillon with any fish you can get a skinless fillet from. Some good regional alternatives would be speckled trout, walleye, smallmouth bass, black seabass, Pacific rockfish, sand or Calico bass, snapper or snook.

A word of warning: If you use commercial Cajun seasoning, don’t add any salt to the dish until the end; chances are you won’t need it, because those spice mixes are very salty to begin with.

catfish courtbuillon recipe
Print Recipe
4.71 from 17 votes

Catfish Courtbuillon

This is a lighter, slightly more refined version of the traditional Cajun dish. See above for fish substitutions if you don't have catfish. The sauce reheats well, but the fish needs to be eaten as soon as it's been sauced. Served with simple steamed rice.
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Cajun
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 746kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 small white or yellow onion, minced
  • 2 celery stalks, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, minced
  • 1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, minced
  • 2 Roma or plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken or seafood stock

Fish

  • 5 tablespoons bacon fat or lard
  • 1 to 2 pounds skinless fish fillets
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup fine cornmeal, a/k/a "fish fry" (Look for Louisiana plain fish fry)
  • 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup minced chives or scallions
  • 5 to 10 basil leaves, torn up.
  • Lemon juice to taste

Instructions

  • Make the sauce. Heat the butter in a large frying pan over medium high heat and saute the onion, celery, red pepper and serrano until soft, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, tomato, thyme and Cajun seasoning and let this cook another minute or two, then pour in the white wine and bring to a boil. Let this boil down by half, then add the stock and simmer this uncovered for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and set aside.
  • In another frying pan, heat the bacon fat. Mix the flour and cornmeal. Salt the catfish fillets, then dust them in the flour mixture. Fry the fish over medium-high heat until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes per side.
  • Drain any extra fat, leaving only about a tablespoon. Add the sauce to the pan with the fish, add the chopped herbs and lemon juice to taste. Swirl it all in the pan to mix. To serve, carefully lift a fish fillet with a long spatula, or two spatulas, and set on individual plates. Spoon over some sauce and serve with steamed rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 746kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 63g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 229mg | Sodium: 227mg | Potassium: 1715mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3130IU | Vitamin C: 61.6mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @HuntGatherCook or tag #HankShaw!

Thanks for Sharing This!

1.3K shares

Filed Under: American Recipes, Featured, Fish, Recipe, Southern

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Avatar for MarkMark says

    May 13, 2022 at 1:08 pm

    Just noticed the pic depicts “the trinity” (colors are super beautiful and popped), taste is whole another universe, thank you, really caught my eyes, been cooking this type of dish living in La. Have to try your recipe, again thx. Happy angling and cookin… HS.

    Reply
  2. Avatar for Jeff CarolloJeff Carollo says

    March 27, 2022 at 10:49 pm

    Grew up in New Orleans. This is a great recipe.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana RDana R says

      July 19, 2022 at 7:00 pm

      I made this tonight and it was INCREDIBLE!! My sauce came out very watery and thin. Is this normal? I followed it exactly. The flavor was spectacular!

      Reply
  3. Avatar for JohnJohn says

    May 21, 2021 at 4:24 pm

    Holy mother of tasty! Used some creek trout and wow. It was fresh, bright, delicious over steamed rice. For real! Make. This.

    Reply
  4. Avatar for Kelton SearsKelton Sears says

    September 15, 2020 at 4:46 pm

    Heck yeah this recipe was amazing and easy, thank you!

    Reply
  5. Avatar for Matt GissendannerMatt Gissendanner says

    July 16, 2020 at 5:26 pm

    Fantastic recipe and easy to follow! I used some catfish my six year old caught, and he loved it. Can’t wait to catch some more and make it again!

    Reply
  6. Avatar for Kelly McCulloughKelly McCullough says

    June 5, 2020 at 12:35 pm

    Gonna give it a shot!

    Reply
  7. Avatar for TracyTracy says

    November 16, 2019 at 6:43 pm

    I was tired of the same meals over and over so I try different recipies this one blew me away I used Talapia it was awesome and I wanted more and more I will truly make this courtbullion again soon delicious thanks

    Reply
  8. Avatar for Ryan PettigrewRyan Pettigrew says

    July 1, 2019 at 12:00 pm

    This was a great use of leftover catfish from a weekend fish fry. I just crisped the fish in the oven before placing in the sauce. My toddlers asked for it again the next night! Thanks for another great recipe, Hank.

    Reply
  9. Avatar for John SullengerJohn Sullenger says

    June 30, 2019 at 5:53 pm

    We made the courtbullion using fresh caught speckled trout and used the ingredients that we grew in our garden and some purchased from the store. The result was amazing! We will be making this dish for years to come. It was a simple dish to create and substituting components to individual taste is easy.

    Reply
  10. Avatar for John WrightJohn Wright says

    June 28, 2019 at 4:04 pm

    I grew up eating catfish courtbouillon, and this simplified, “cleaner” version is perfection! The frying in bacon fat makes it special!

    Reply
  11. Avatar for Eatie GourmetEatie Gourmet says

    June 25, 2019 at 7:55 am

    This is very different than the catfish courtbouillon I’ve always made, and I’m looking forward to trying it.
    Also very much looking forward to your seafood cookbook!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      June 25, 2019 at 1:28 pm

      Eatie: Yep, it is pretty different, which is why I love it so much. A little more refined, without being “cheffy.”

      Reply
  12. Avatar for Lynn RothwellLynn Rothwell says

    June 24, 2019 at 8:38 am

    I am giving it a five before even giving it a bash. The recipe is divine, butter, wine, serrano, thyme, garlic and lemon and fresh fish. The food of gods. Thanks Hank, again.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hank Shaw holding a rod and reel in the American River

Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

More about Hank...

Featured Recipes

Closeup of sliced, smoked venison backstrap on a platter
Venison 101: How to Cook Venison
pickled pike recipe
Pickled Pike
Slices of smoked venison roast on a cutting board.
Smoked Venison Roast
Conejo en adobo on a plate
Conejo en Adobo
A platter of fried walleye with lemon.
Fried Walleye
A plate of pine nut cookies.
Pine Nut Cookies

As Seen In

As seen on CNN, New York Times, Simply Recipes, Martha Stewart, Food and Wine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Field and Stream, Outdoor Life, and The Splendid Table

Never Miss a Recipe

Receive recipes direct to your inbox.

 

 

Back to Top
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Video Course
  • About
  • Podcast
  • Stories
  • Wild Game
  • Charcuterie
  • Fish
  • Gathering
Subscribe by email Connect on Facebook Connect on Pinterest Follow Me on Instagram

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

© 2023 Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, All Rights Reserved.

Site built by: Site by Status Forward

1.3K shares
  • Print
  • Pinterest
  • 264Facebook
  • WhatsApp
  • Save
  • Email
1.3K shares
  • 264