For those in the Southeast Texas market and especially those in Houston, will agree that some of the best eats in town are found at the Pappas Brothers restaurant chain. They operate in five different venues, my favorite being Pappadeaux's, their take on cajun-creole seafood cooking. Their menu always has several fresh fish varieties to choose from and cooked the way you prefer it. My all time favorite, go to choice is Redfish Pontchartrain. I usually get the filet grilled with my choice of Pontchartrian sauce on top. Although you have your choice of several different sauces, when I see crab meat and shrimp, that's all she wrote, and Pontchartrain sauce has both !!!
I recently ran across a recipe that attempts to re-create this favorite, so I spun that my way. For those who would like to attempt this, here are the ingredients;
Shrimp Stock
Shrimp Shells and/or Shrimp Heads
3 cups of water
1 carrot coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk coarsely chopped
1/2 onion chopped
Roux
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
The Sauce and Seafood
4 Redfish filets (substitute Red Snapper or any other light meat filets)
12 Large Shrimp, cleaned and de-viened (reserve shell and/or heads for stock)
6-8 ounces of lump crab meat
1/4 cup of fine chopped shallots (or onion)
5 cloves of garlic minced
1 1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1/3 cup of Sauvignon Blanc wine
1/3 cup low sodium chicken stock
Cajun seasoning like Tony C's or Slap Your Mama
Dried Dill
The Cook
Start by cleaning the shrimp and taking the reserved heads and/or shells and make a simple shrimp stock. Low boil for 20-30 minutes then let it cool down. When cooled strain into a separate bowl and set aside...
Next prepare your fish filets. I usually rub down with lemon and olive oil then season with Tony C's and dill weed. Skewer the shrimp and season the same way. Return to the refrigerator while you fire up your smoker or grill....
While the cooker gets up to temp, prepare the roux by combining the flour and butter in equal parts. Stir constantly until it reaches a nutty colored thick consistency. Also in a separate pan melt one stick of butter. Set both aside for the sauce.
Add the fish and shrimp to your cooker. I used a Weber kettle with an SNS, 1/2 chimney of coals and one 4 oz. or so piece of Pecan wood. Grill the seafood for approximately 25-30 minutes. The shrimp may get done sooner, take it off if it does. Fish should be cooked through and flaky.
Begin the sauce by sauteing the shallots and the garlic until translucent in 1/2 a stick of butter....
...when softened add the reserved and strained out shrimp stock. Simmer for about 10 minutes and reduce.....
The remaining steps were involved so I didn't take many shots. After the sauce simmered and reduced I slowly added the roux to begin thickening. The next time I make this I will reduce the amount of roux added. I felt like the sauce became way to thick and tight. Regardless after combining and stirring, I gradually whisked in the stick of melted butter into the mixture. That was followed by the wine and chicken stock which thinned out the sauce and gave it a silky finish, although as I said still a little too thick. The net result was a creole beurre blanc like sauce.
Once fully incorporated I added the crab meat and did a final stir. I reduced the heat and simmered for about 10-12 more minutes to gently cook the crab meat. In the meantime the seafood came off the grill and into a warm oven ready for assembly...
Along side the sauce I made some Brussels sprouts cooked in bacon fat with the cooked and chopped bacon mixed in....
Final assembly had three shrimps placed on top of each of the four fillets then the sauce spooned on top of that. The result was amazing, flavor profiles from the smoked fish and shrimp, to the silky smooth crab meat sauce, to the hints of wine in the background, and so on and so forth. No one said a word, it was just devoured. Was it something that was better than the original from Pappa's? Got to say no but oh boy it was real close. Next time I intend to exceed the original.
I hope you give this a try, it's a spectacular recipe from my favorite restaurant. Enjoy !!! Trout is out !!!!
I recently ran across a recipe that attempts to re-create this favorite, so I spun that my way. For those who would like to attempt this, here are the ingredients;
Shrimp Stock
Shrimp Shells and/or Shrimp Heads
3 cups of water
1 carrot coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk coarsely chopped
1/2 onion chopped
Roux
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
The Sauce and Seafood
4 Redfish filets (substitute Red Snapper or any other light meat filets)
12 Large Shrimp, cleaned and de-viened (reserve shell and/or heads for stock)
6-8 ounces of lump crab meat
1/4 cup of fine chopped shallots (or onion)
5 cloves of garlic minced
1 1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1/3 cup of Sauvignon Blanc wine
1/3 cup low sodium chicken stock
Cajun seasoning like Tony C's or Slap Your Mama
Dried Dill
The Cook
Start by cleaning the shrimp and taking the reserved heads and/or shells and make a simple shrimp stock. Low boil for 20-30 minutes then let it cool down. When cooled strain into a separate bowl and set aside...
Next prepare your fish filets. I usually rub down with lemon and olive oil then season with Tony C's and dill weed. Skewer the shrimp and season the same way. Return to the refrigerator while you fire up your smoker or grill....
While the cooker gets up to temp, prepare the roux by combining the flour and butter in equal parts. Stir constantly until it reaches a nutty colored thick consistency. Also in a separate pan melt one stick of butter. Set both aside for the sauce.
Add the fish and shrimp to your cooker. I used a Weber kettle with an SNS, 1/2 chimney of coals and one 4 oz. or so piece of Pecan wood. Grill the seafood for approximately 25-30 minutes. The shrimp may get done sooner, take it off if it does. Fish should be cooked through and flaky.
Begin the sauce by sauteing the shallots and the garlic until translucent in 1/2 a stick of butter....
...when softened add the reserved and strained out shrimp stock. Simmer for about 10 minutes and reduce.....
The remaining steps were involved so I didn't take many shots. After the sauce simmered and reduced I slowly added the roux to begin thickening. The next time I make this I will reduce the amount of roux added. I felt like the sauce became way to thick and tight. Regardless after combining and stirring, I gradually whisked in the stick of melted butter into the mixture. That was followed by the wine and chicken stock which thinned out the sauce and gave it a silky finish, although as I said still a little too thick. The net result was a creole beurre blanc like sauce.
Once fully incorporated I added the crab meat and did a final stir. I reduced the heat and simmered for about 10-12 more minutes to gently cook the crab meat. In the meantime the seafood came off the grill and into a warm oven ready for assembly...
Along side the sauce I made some Brussels sprouts cooked in bacon fat with the cooked and chopped bacon mixed in....
Final assembly had three shrimps placed on top of each of the four fillets then the sauce spooned on top of that. The result was amazing, flavor profiles from the smoked fish and shrimp, to the silky smooth crab meat sauce, to the hints of wine in the background, and so on and so forth. No one said a word, it was just devoured. Was it something that was better than the original from Pappa's? Got to say no but oh boy it was real close. Next time I intend to exceed the original.
I hope you give this a try, it's a spectacular recipe from my favorite restaurant. Enjoy !!! Trout is out !!!!
But I have husband and family who do, so I'm going to give this a try one of these days.
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