Poached Catfish Fillets with Mushroom Herb Rice

So I thought I would kick off my new blog with a recipe that got me here in the first place. I had entered Redwood Creek Campfire cook off and was fortunate to meet the most pleasant competitors and most organized cook off I have been to ever. One of my competitors introduced me to a cooking contest website and since I've joined I have caught the bug to push harder and enter more contest. Many of the members have blogs documenting their travels through food so I thought I would do the same in attempt to stay a little more organized and share my thoughts on food.

Ok back to the food. This recipe was formed in collaboration with my father. I'll tell you more about him later he's my ultimate competition and a big influence in my culinary influence.

I know it seems overwhelming, but it's really not. This dish was done using a pot and a skillet and can easily be done on the stove top instead of a fire. I timed myself and including prep and cooking time to plating I hit 1 hour on the dot so it's not that timely of a dish. Hope you try it and ejoy it as much as we do. It won me runner up and they said it was the best wine pairing so it's one that I'm proud of.

Poached Catfish Fillets with Mushroom Herb Rice

Main Ingredients:
2 quarts water
4 tablespoons boiling Zatarans Crab and Crawfish Boil
1 cup Redwood Creek Sauvignon Blanc
2 lbs of catfish fillets
1 bag of boil and serve rice
3 slices of bacon
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
4 tablespoons of olive oil dipping sauce (the kind of dipping sauce used at Italian restaurants with the oil and mixed herbs)
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

Ingredients for the sauce:
4 ounces of butter
1 cup Redwood Creek Sauvignon Blanc
Juice from 2 lemons
1 tablespoon of ketchup
1 teaspoon of teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Olive oil dipping sauce:
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
pinch of salt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Garnish:
Jalapeño pepper bread
1 lemon cut into wedges and seeded
1 bundle of asparagus

Directions:
Bring the water and wine a boil in the Dutch oven. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the boil and serve rice. Boil for 7-10 minutes. Remove and add the crawfish boil and catfish. Poach until the catfish starts to flake at the tail end of fillet. Remove catfish and wrap in aluminum foil setting aside. Discard water from Dutch oven and wipe dry. Add diced bacon in the Dutch oven and fry until crisp; remove bacon and set aside. Add the mushrooms and olive oil to bacon grease stirring mushrooms until tender. Add drained rice and bacon back into mushroom mixture sprinkling on the Cajun seasoning and stirring through. Adjust seasoning to taste.

While preparing rice mixture; melt butter in small skillet. When butter is melted add Redwood Creek Sauvignon Blanc (reserving ¼ cup) and other ingredients except cornstarch. In a separate cup combine remaining wine and cornstarch mixing well with fork. When sauce begins to reach a simmer add cornstarch and wine mixture to thicken. Reduce heat and simmer till ready to serve. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Lightly grill jalapeño bread and asparagus to desired texture. Just before plating butter one side of bread if desired.

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