Seared Snapper with Crawfish Couche Couche

Name: Seared Snapper with Crawfish Couche Couche
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons olive oil; 1 cup onions, chopped; Essence, recipe follows; 1 ear of sweet corn, scraped from the cob; 2 teaspoons garlic, chopped; 1 pound crawfish tails; 2 cups yellow cornmeal; 1 cup flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne; 1 egg, beaten; 1 cup milk; 1/2 cup chicken stock; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 4 (6 to 8-ounce) red snapper fillets; 2 cups Tasso Maque Choux, recipe follows; 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika; 2 tablespoons salt; 2 tablespoons garlic powder; 1 tablespoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon onion powder; 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper; 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano; 1 tablespoon dried thyme

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Level: Easy

Yield: 6 servings

Level: Easy

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup onions, chopped

Essence, recipe follows

1 ear of sweet corn, scraped from the cob

2 teaspoons garlic, chopped

1 pound crawfish tails

2 cups yellow cornmeal

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

1/2 cup chicken stock

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 (6 to 8-ounce) red snapper fillets

2 cups Tasso Maque Choux, recipe follows

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a saute pan, heat 2 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Season with Essence. Add the corn and continue to saute for 1 minute. Add the garlic and crawfish and continue to saute for 1 minute. Season with Essence. Remove from the heat and cool. In a mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and cayenne. Add the egg, milk and chicken stock and mix well, but do not beat. Fold in the crawfish mixture. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot and almost smoking, pour in the batter and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn golden. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool. Break the couche couche into pieces. Season the snapper with Essence. In a large skillet, heat the remaining olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the snapper and sear for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove the snapper from the pan and drain on paper-lined plate. Place the couche couche in the center of each plate. Lay the fish directly on top of each of the couche couche and spoon the Tasso Maque Choux over the top.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

Yield: About 2/3 cup

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.