Equipment
Ingredients
Fish and Preparation
- 600 g catfish fillets, cut into 5cm chunks
Roux and Vegetables
- 45 ml vegetable oil
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 150 g onion, finely diced
- 150 g green bell pepper, finely diced
- 100 g celery, finely diced
- garlic, minced
Broth and Seasonings
- 750 ml fish broth
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 5 g smoked paprika
- 2 g dried thyme
- 1 g cayenne pepper
- 1 bay leaf, whole
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Finishing
- 15 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 410 kcal
- Protein
- 31 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 1157 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 84 mg
- Potassium
- 1317 mg
- Calcium
- 104 mg
- Iron
- 3.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 81 mg
- Phosphorus
- 488 mg
- Zinc
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 91 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 50 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 86 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 5.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.16 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.34 mg
- Niacin
- 6.0 mg
- Folate
- 49 mcg
- Water
- 398 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Dice the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cut the catfish into chunks. Wash your hands, knife, and cutting board thoroughly with hot soapy water after handling the raw fish to prevent cross-contamination.
Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux turns a light peanut butter color, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery to the roux. Sauté until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute until highly fragrant.
Pour in the fish broth and crushed tomatoes. Add the bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer to allow the flavors to meld.
Gently nestle the catfish chunks into the simmering liquid. Maintain a gentle poach around 85 C or 185 F. Do not stir vigorously. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the fish flakes easily and reaches a safe internal temperature of 63 C or 145 F.
Remove the pot from the heat. Discard the bay leaf. Gently fold in the fresh chopped parsley, being careful not to break up the fish. Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.
Ladle the hot stew into wide, shallow bowls. Serve immediately, accompanied by steamed long-grain rice or warm, crusty bread.
Chef's Notes
- Take your time building the roux. Cooking it to that signature peanut butter hue provides a nutty backbone that bridges the bright tomatoes and savory fish broth.
- Catfish has a beautifully tender, distinct texture that can easily turn mushy if mistreated. Poaching it gently allows it to cook evenly while retaining its structural integrity.
- For the best flavor, use a homemade fish stock made from white fish bones, onion, celery, and fennel. If using store-bought, enriching it with a splash of dry white wine can mimic that depth.
- If you want to prepare this ahead for a fall dinner party, make the stew base entirely in advance. Keep it in the refrigerator, reheat to a gentle simmer, and poach the raw catfish right before serving.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat very gently to avoid overcooking the delicate fish.
Freezer: 1 month — Best frozen without the fish, as cooked catfish can turn mushy upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until just warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Catfish pieces disintegrate into the broth
Cause: The stew was stirred too vigorously or boiled too hard after the fish was added
Fix: Cannot be fixed texturally, but the dish will still be delicious as a thicker, flaked fish stew
Prevention: Never hard-boil fish, and strictly avoid stirring the pot once the fillets are submerged; instead, gently shake the pot to redistribute liquids
Broth lacks depth or tastes watery
Cause: Simmer time was too short, or low-quality fish broth was used
Fix: Remove the cooked fish with a slotted spoon to avoid overcooking, then simmer the broth uncovered for an additional 10 minutes to reduce and concentrate flavors before returning the fish
Prevention: Allow the tomato and broth base to simmer for the full 20 minutes before adding the fish, and use high-quality or homemade seafood stock
Cultural Context
Catfish Courtbouillon is a quintessential dish of Southern Louisiana, embodying the region's rich history of cultural fusion. Originally an adaptation of classic French seafood stews like bouillabaisse, early settlers applied French techniques like roux-making to the abundant local ingredients of the American South. The resulting dish is a hearty, deeply aromatic stew perfect for comforting evening meals during the cooler fall months.
