Blackened Catfish Smothered in Crawfish Étouffée 🍤🐟 This dish features a perfectly blackened catfish fillet smothered in a flavorful crawfish étouffée, served on a bed of white rice. It’s a perfect combination of bold seasoning, tender fish, and a creamy, savory sauce that will have everyone coming back for more! Ingredients: For the Blackened Catfish: 4 catfish fillets 2 tbsp blackened seasoning (store-bought or homemade) 2 tbsp olive oil or butter (for cooking) For the Crawfish Étouffée: 1 lb crawfish tails (or shrimp, if preferred) 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup bell pepper, finely chopped 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes 1 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup heavy cream 2 tbsp flour (for thickening) 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp hot sauce (optional, for heat) 1 tsp smoked paprika Salt and black pepper, to taste Fresh parsley or green onions (for garnish) For Serving: Cooked white rice (for serving) Instructions: Prepare the Crawfish Étouffée: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are softened. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, creating a roux (a thickening base). Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, and heavy cream. Stir well and let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes until it thickens. Add the crawfish tails, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (if using), smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes until the crawfish is heated through and the sauce is rich and flavorful. Adjust seasoning to taste. Remove from heat and set aside. Cook the Blackened Catfish:7. While the étouffée is simmering, season the catfish fillets with blackened seasoning on both sides. 8. In a separate skillet, heat olive oil or butter over medium-high heat.9. Cook the catfish fillets for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until the fish is golden and crispy on the outside and flakes easily with a fork. Assemble the Dish: 10. Serve the blackened catfish fillets on a plate, over a bed of white rice.11. Spoon the crawfish étouffée generously over the catfish. 12. Garnish with fresh parsley or green onions for an extra burst of flavor. Pro Tip: For extra heat, add a dash of cayenne pepper to the crawfish étouffée sauce. You can make this dish even more indulgent by stirring in a bit more cream or butter into the étouffée sauce. Enjoy your Blackened Catfish Smothered in Crawfish Étouffée—a perfectly seasoned, comforting dish full of Southern flavors! 🍤🐟

 Blackened Catfish Smothered in Crawfish Étouffée 🍤🐟

This dish features a perfectly blackened catfish fillet smothered in a flavorful crawfish étouffée, served on a bed of white rice. It’s a perfect combination of bold seasoning, tender fish, and a creamy, savory sauce that will have everyone coming back for more!

Ingredients:

For the Blackened Catfish:

4 catfish fillets

2 tbsp blackened seasoning (store-bought or homemade)

2 tbsp olive oil or butter (for cooking)

For the Crawfish Étouffée:

1 lb crawfish tails (or shrimp, if preferred)

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 cup celery, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp flour (for thickening)

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp hot sauce (optional, for heat)

1 tsp smoked paprika

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Fresh parsley or green onions (for garnish)

For Serving:

Cooked white rice (for serving)

Instructions:

Prepare the Crawfish Étouffée:

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are softened.

Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, creating a roux (a thickening base).

Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, and heavy cream. Stir well and let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes until it thickens.

Add the crawfish tails, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (if using), smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes until the crawfish is heated through and the sauce is rich and flavorful. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Cook the Blackened Catfish:7. While the étouffée is simmering, season the catfish fillets with blackened seasoning on both sides.

8. In a separate skillet, heat olive oil or butter over medium-high heat.9. Cook the catfish fillets for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until the fish is golden and crispy on the outside and flakes easily with a fork.

Assemble the Dish:

10. Serve the blackened catfish fillets on a plate, over a bed of white rice.11. Spoon the crawfish étouffée generously over the catfish.

12. Garnish with fresh parsley or green onions for an extra burst of flavor.

Pro Tip:

For extra heat, add a dash of cayenne pepper to the crawfish étouffée sauce.

You can make this dish even more indulgent by stirring in a bit more cream or butter into the étouffée sauce.

Enjoy your Blackened Catfish Smothered in Crawfish Étouffée—a perfectly seasoned, comforting dish full of Southern flavors! 🍤🐟