Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish with Silky Red Bean Sauce
One day while cooking a pot of red beans, I noticed that the juice had a beautiful, silky sheen. It occurred to me that the beans might make a good sauce if pureed really smoothly with their cooking liquid. An idea was born—really: that’s all it takes! I played around with seasonings and decided I liked the warm hint of cinnamon married with the spicy flavors of poblano and chipotle. Adding fresh lime juice at the end of the process brightens up the earthiness of the puree. The light coating of cornmeal gives the fish a nice crunch to contrast with the creamy sauce (which, incidentally, is wonderful with grilled fish of any kind—trout, redfish, or snapper are particularly good). A side of Green Rice (p. 309) is a perfect accompaniment.
Ingredients
makes 4 servings
Silky Red Bean Sauce
Step 1
Season the fish lightly with salt. Mix the cornmeal and flour with the spices and coat the fish on both sides. Heat the oil in a large skillet until very hot but not smoking. Fry the fillets, two at a time, until golden brown on both sides. Pour warm red bean sauce onto a plate and top with sautéed fish. Garnish with lime wedges, cilantro, and scallions, or a fresh tomato-corn salsa.
Silky Red Bean Sauce
Step 2
Place the soaked beans in a medium saucepan with 1 quart of cold water and the Bouquet Garni. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are tender but not mushy, about 1 hour. After the beans have simmered for 30 minutes, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and poblano and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, then transfer the vegetables to the saucepan with beans and stir in the tomato puree, chipotle, and chile powder. (If using canned beans, rinse them and place in a medium saucepan with 1 cup of water and the sautéed ingredients, chipotle, chile powder, and tomato puree). If your beans start looking dry (they should be submerged and moist throughout the simmering), add a little more water. Cook for about 15 more minutes, and when the beans and vegetables are very soft, season to taste with salt and pepper. Drain them, reserving the liquid, and cool. Place the beans in a blender with the cilantro, lime juice, and a cup of the cooking liquid. Puree them, adding more liquid as necessary to make a smooth, viscous sauce (the consistency of pancake batter). You may need to do this in two batches. Pour the sauce into a pot and keep warm until ready to use. If necessary, you can add a little water.
