Change sings indeed as the new year has come. Houses are floating. Art installations are popping up all over town. Mardi gras is bringing out the stubborn optimism in New Orleanians this year—I am reminded daily why I choose to live here.
Due to (thanks to?) the pandemic, we now have a fish guy, Dino, who used to supply fancy restaurants Uptown with fresh catches; now his fish have found us and we are more pescatarian than ever before, finding new ways to use 5 lbs of shrimp, 2 lbs of flounder and 2 pounds of redfish every two weeks. I am getting that Southern early spring fever—plotting this year’s garden in my mind. Where might I grow new and surprising brightness? Meanwhile, I’m hastening to finish the frozen spoils of last season’s tomatoes. Here is a decadent fish recipe, paired with my new favorite tomato basil soup.
Baked Flounder with Crab Mornay Sauce
Adapted from The Times Picayune/Advocate
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds flounder filets
¼ cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon herbs de Provence
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1. Heat oven to 450 F. Brush olive oil on a large rimmed baking pan.
2. Place the filets skin-side down on the pan in one layer, about ½ to 1 inch apart.
3. Whisk together the butter, herbs de Provence and lemon juice and pour over the filets.
4. Bake uncovered for 8 to 12 minutes or until slightly browned on the edges.
5. Serve warm topped with crab Mornay sauce.
Crab Mornay sauce
¼ cup butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon white wine
4 ounces Creole cream cheese
1 pound fresh crab claw meat
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1. In a heavy skillet or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Stir in flour until melted and thickened.
3. Gradually stir in milk until sauce is smooth.
4. Stir in white wine and return to simmer.
5. Melt in the cream cheese.
6. Carefully fold in crab.
7. Season with lemon juice, salt, pepper and parsley.
7. Serve warm over flounder filets.
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Adapted from Teresa B. Day, Times Picayune
1 stick butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
1. In a heavy stock pot, melt butter with olive oil over medium-high heat.
2. Chop and seed the tomatoes.
3. Add tomatoes and onion to the butter and oil. Add salt.
4. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until tomatoes start to break down.
5. Remove from heat to either spoon the mixture into a blender or blend with an immersion blender until tomatoes are pureed.
6. Return the pot to medium-high heat.
7. Pour in tomato sauce and add sugar.
8. Stir in Worcestershire sauce then season with paprika, garlic powder and black pepper.
9. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Stir in heavy cream and fresh basil and heat through. Serve hot.
And now for dessert!
I got to enjoy a sneak peek of Delysia Chocolatier’s Valentine’s aphrodisiac chocolates last week–ruby chocolate was featured in honey ginger, merlot cherries and cream, and chipotle orange flavors. Chipotle orange, decorated with tiny mustaches, was my favorite.
