lunaticsinge.com - Cajun Cuisine Outdoor Living

Grilled Oysters with Garlic-Chile Butter - (Makes 4 to 6 servings)

Compound Butter Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

3 garlic cloves

2 anchovy fillets

Zest & juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons Vietnamese garlic chili sauce

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Oyster ingredients:

16 oysters, in the shell

Lemon wedges, for garnish

1. Cut the butter into 1-inch cubes and allow it to soften to room temperature.

2. Mince the garlic, anchovy, and lemon zest (or mash in a mortar and pestle), and then fold in the butter, lemon juice, garlic chili sauce, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and salt. Roll the butter into a log, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until needed.

3. Open the oysters as you would for on the half shell, discarding the top shells. Place a 1-tablespoon slice of the compound butter on each oyster and place on the hot grill until the juices begin to bubble and the oyster curls up around the edges, 6 to 10 minutes. (It's good to melt a few tablespoons of the butter to put on the oysters after they are grilled, in case some spills out of the shells.

4. Serve immediately, with wedges of fresh lemon, if desired.

Catfish Fried in Bacon Fat - (Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 cup white cornmeal

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or more to taste

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 (12 oz.) catfish fillets. sliced into 2-inch chunks

6 tablespoons rendered bacon fat

1. Whisk together the cornmeal and flour in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, black pepper, cayenne, and white pepper. Sprinkle the catfish with the seasonings and allow the fish to "marinate" for at least 10 minutes at room temperature, or cover with plastic and refrigerate even longer (up to 1 day is fine). This step will make the fish "sweat," giving it some moisture for the flour to cling to.

2. When you're ready to cook, toss the catfish pieces with the cornmeal mixture.

3. Transfer the catfish pieces to a plate or baking sheet, dusting of excess flour.

4. Heat the bacon fat in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle a bit of cornmeal in the fat to test the heat: It will be hot enough when there is an instant foam and a nice sizzle. Add half of the fillets, dropping the fish away from you so you don't splatter yourself, and cook until evenly golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

5. Remove the first batch with a slotted spatula, drain them on paper towels, and immediately add the second batch and repeat.

6. Serve the fried fish immediately, with your favorite coleslaw and spicy cocktail sauce.

Pan-Fried Bass with Lemon & Browned Butter - (Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

4 (6 oz.) bass fillets

Salt, ground black pepper, & cayenne pepper to taste

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 tablespoons butter

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon capers (optional)

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1. Lightly season the fillets with salt, pepper, and cayenne and then sprinkle on both sides with flour. Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Sear the fish for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly golden brown on each side. Transfer the fish to a serving plate.

2. Use paper towels to carefully wipe out any residual grease from the skillet, and return the skillet to the heat. The skillet will already be hot, but let it get a little hotter, then add the butter and let it sizzle and turn brown (this will take about 30 seconds). When the butter turns a nutty brown, add the lemon juice, caper, and parsley. Swirl the skillet to combine the ingredients and remove from the heat.

3. Serve the fish on warmed plates, with equal portions of the browned butter spooned over the top.

Grilled Rib-Eye - (Makes 6 to 8 servings)

Ingredients:

1 (4 lb.) boneless rib-eye roast

Salt and ground black pepper

6 sprigs thyme

Coarse sea salt

Extra-virgin olive oil

1. At least 2 hours before cooking the meat, place it on a sheet pan and generously coat with salt, pepper, and the thyme sprigs (massaging the stems and leaves into the meat). Don't hold back with the salt, it forms a flavorful crust on the outside that really gives the meat character and dimension. For best results, roll the meat over the seasonings that collect on the bottom of the pan as well, so you coat it as much as possible. Let the meat sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge (loosely covered, so it doesn't pick up other flavors from the fridge, but with enough air so that it stays dry).

2. Get the grill as hot as it will go, then knock the temperature back to 400 degrees F. Brush off the thyme sprigs and sear the meat until it's browned and crusty, 5 to 7 minutes for each side. Close the grill as necessary to preserve heat if too much heat is escaping and the meat is not browning nicely.

3.Reduce the temperature to low (275 degrees F.) and cook the meat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, flipping it every 30 minutes or so, until the internal temperature is 145 degrees F. for rare (or longer, as desired).

4. Transfer the meat to a platter and let rest for at least 30 minutes (the meat will continue to cook). Slice the meat into generous 1-inch thick slices, and top with a sprinkling of salt and a drizzle of olive oil.

NOTE: Resting the roast is extremely important. It will even out the cooking and allow the natural juices to settle back into the meat. If you slice the meat when it's too hot, the juices will run out and you'll be left with dry, tough meat.