Creole-Spiced Poached Fish
I asked my seafood dealer for a recommendation on the type of fish I should poach. “Poach! That will be bland! That is no way to cook fish!” I was a bit taken aback but appreciated the honesty. He asked what recipe I was using and I showed him a draft of this one. His lips curved upward showing a gappy grin and said, “That will be good”. Apparently most people who poach fish are doing so in salted water. I wasn’t aware of this method, and he obviously does not approve it.
As he bagged up my fish, he threw in some oyster mushrooms and said “Put that in your liquid. It will make it better.” I followed his advice, he was right.
With warming spices of allspice, coriander, and cloves, it creates a comforting dish full of flavor that is perfect for an early spring cold snap. The flavors are reminiscent of grits and grillades.
If you’re serving a multiple course meal, this fish makes a perfect entree. It’s light, but hearty so serves as a good main course but leaves plenty of room for other dishes.
Creole-Spiced Poached Fish Ingredients
2 small onions (3 c chopped, divided)
2 Tbl butter
1 small bell pepper (¾ c chopped)
2 celery stalks (¾ c chopped)
4 ounces oyster mushrooms
6 med garlic cloves (2 Tbl minced)
1 regular sized shallot (3 Tbl)
¾ c packed parsley
1 1/2 quarts of water plus more
¼ c tomato paste
1 Tbl Better Than Chicken Bouillon
2 tsp Worchershire sauce
1 ½ tsp salt
¼ tsp red pepper (cayenne)
¼ tsp coriander
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp allspice
4 tsp basil
¼ tsp cloves
½ tsp thyme
1 lb grape tomatoes
1 lb of red fish (or mahi mahi)
Creole-Spiced Poached Fish Directions
Slice off both ends of the onion. Cut it in half from pole to pole. Remove the dry skin. Thinly slice it pole to pole then across to create a dice. Repeat with the second onion to get 3 c of dice onion.
In a 6 quart Dutch oven, melt 2 Tbl butter and add 1 ½ c of the onion. Turn up the heat so you can hear a sizzle. When the water is released and mostly evaporated, lower the heat to barely a sizzle. Occasionally stir the onions until they are dark brown. If they begin to stick too much, add a couple of Tbl of water to deglaze the plan and continue to brown the onions.
Slice off planks of the bell pepper. Remove the veins and seeds. Slice into thin strips, then slice across to create a dice. Reserve ¾ c of diced bell pepper.
Cut the celery ribs into thin strips then slice across. Rough chop the leaves. Reserve ¾ c.
Wash the mushrooms well. Rough chop them.
After the onions are dark brown, add 1 ½ c onion, ¾ c bell pepper, ¾ c celery, and 4 ounces of mushrooms to the pot. Cover and let it sweat. Once moisture releases, stir to clean the bottom of the pot. Cover and simmer the onions are clear.
Take the garlic cloves and slice off the dry end. Lay a knife flat on top of the clove and whack with the exterior of your fist. Remove the paper layer. Rough chop it and add it to a blender. You want 2 Tbl.
Mince the shallot the same way you did the onion. Add 3 Tbl shallots to the blender.
Pack ¾ c of parsley leaves and thin stems and add them to the blender along with the cooked vegetables. Add 1 quart of water and blend until smooth. Taste. It won’t be good but I want you to see the changes as we add flavor.
Take ¼ c of tomato paste and put it in the pot. Spread it thin and allow it to brown. Add the vegetable mixture with an additional 2 c of water. Stir. Taste again.
Add 1 Tbl Better Than Chicken Bouillon, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp red pepper, ¼ tsp coriander, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp oregano, ½ tsp all spice, 4 tsp basil, ¼ tsp cloves, and ½ tsp thyme. Stir and taste.
Add 1 lb of grape tomatoes to the pot. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until the tomatoes burst. Add the fish and cook just until the fish becomes opaque. It’s fast fast. If you cook it too long, the fish becomes dry and breaks apart.
Serve immediately or put in an ice bath to prevent further cooking.Top with sliced green onions before serving.
