Published on:
October 15th, 2014
Zapps-crusted Cobia with Garden Vegetable Hash
By Chef Brad McGehee, Ye Olde College Inn courtesy of Louisiana Cookin' Magazine.
This month we celebrate unexpected spices, a hearty meal, and some unworldly smoked tomato butter sauce. When the air gets a little colder it's always nice to keep warm by the heat of a hot kitchen stove. This recipe uses New Orleans famous Zapp's chips to crust a fish fillet and is brilliantly complimented along side some fresh garden vegetable hash.
SERVES 6
Cobia
Ingredients
. 3 ounces andouille, chopped
. 4 ounces Zapp’s Spicy Crawtator Potato Chips (about 4 cups. Any spicy kettle-cooked potato chips may be substituted.)
. 6 (7- to 9-ounce) cobia fillets
. 2 eggs
. 2 tablespoons milk
. Garden Vegetable Hash, recipe follows
. Smoked Tomato Butter Sauce, recipe follows
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350º. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat, and cook andouille until fat is rendered. Drain andouille on paper towels, and discard fat.
2. In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse the andouille until crumbly, about 10 times. Place sausage in a large shallow bowl. Add potato chips to food processor, and pulse 10 times. Combine the crushed potato chips with the andouille, and set aside.
3. Pat fish fillets dry with paper towels, then season fish to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk until well combined. Brush fish with egg mixture, then generously coat each fillet in potato chip mixture.
5. Bake until fish reaches an internal temperature of 145º, about 12 minutes. Serve over Garden Vegetable Hash with Smoked Tomato Butter Sauce.
Vegetable Hash
Ingredients
. 1 cup Brussels sprouts, halved
. 2 pounds assorted baby potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
. 2 tablespoons butter
. 1 cup sliced shitake mushrooms, stems removed
. 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
. 1 shallot, chopped
. 2 tablespoons minced garlic
. 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
. 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
. 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
Instructions
1. In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil, and blanch Brussels sprouts just until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and reserve sprouts.
2. In a large pot, place potatoes, and fill with enough cold water to completely submerge potatoes. Bring potatoes to a boil over high heat, and cook about 2 minutes. Drain potatoes, and let them cool until room temperature.
3. In a large sauté pan over high heat, melt butter, and add mushrooms, tomatoes, shallot, garlic, Brussels sprouts and potatoes. Cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add parsley and remaining herbs, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot.
Note: If you use purple potatoes, prepare these separately, as the color will bleed into the other potatoes
Smoked Tomato Butter Sauce
Ingredients
. 4 large Creole tomatoes, quartered
. 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
. 2 cloves garlic
. 1/4 cup brandy
. 2 tablespoons Herbsaint liqueur*
. 2 tablespoons tomato paste
. 3 teaspoons chopped fresh basil, divided
. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
. 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
. 1 cup tomato juice
. 1/2 cup heavy cream
. 1/2 cup cold butter, diced
Instructions
1. Preheat a smoker on low heat. Smoke tomatoes for 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375º. In a medium bowl, combine smoked tomatoes, onion and garlic. Transfer tomato mixture to a roasting rack, and bake until caramelized and most liquid is gone.
3. In a large pot over medium heat, combine brandy and liqueur, and cook until reduced by three-fourths. Add roasted tomato mixture, tomato paste, 1/2 tablespoon basil, olive oil and red pepper flakes and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato juice, and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. With a handheld blender, purée tomato mixture in pot until smooth. Add cream and remaining basil. Bring to a simmer, and whisk in butter. Serve immediately.
Note: Any anise-flavored liqueur may be substituted.
Got a great recipe we could use? E-mail danielle@wwoz.org.
