Southern · Authentic-ish Southern
Catfish Courtbouillon
288 kcal a serving, against 425 for the traditional version. That is 137 kcal off, or 32%, with 33.8g of protein. Serves 4. 1 hour 10 minutes.
What the traditional version is
The classic starts with 60g each of oil and flour, cooked into a dark roux for richness and mouthfeel. Onion, celery, pepper, and garlic are softened in the oil, 300g tinned tomatoes go in, plus stock and the holy trinity. 600g thick catfish fillets get poached gently in the sauce, sometimes with a splash of white wine or a handful of parsley if you're feeling fancy. Serve it with rice or crusty bread if you must, but it's rich and filling without.
What changed, and what each change costs
Catfish fillet to cod fillet
Catfish has a unique texture and a fatty, earthy taste that holds up under a simmer, but it's not helping if you're aiming to cut down hard. Cod is mild, lean, and won't melt into the sauce. It's the first and most obvious play here.
What it costs you. You lose that defined 'catfish' flavour - the riverbed, the fat, the distinctive chew. Cod is gentle and lets the tomato be the boss. If you want to chase the real deal, find a different recipe.
Oil-based roux to dry-toasted flour roux
Dropping the oil takes a big number off straight away. If you toast the flour dry and take your time, you can still get most of the nutty, roux-like taste without pouring half a bottle of oil in the pan.
What it costs you. The mouthfeel takes a hit - the sauce goes from unctuous to just thick. No one will believe you made it with two sticks of butter, but unless you're a roux fanatic, you'll tolerate it.
Slightly up the veg and tomatoes
Using a bit more tomato and veg brings body to the sauce and helps cover for what you lose by swapping both the fish and the roux.
What it costs you. The sauce is brighter, a tiny bit more acidic, and less like a hug from an oil drum. If you're not attached to the original's cloak of fat, you might even prefer it on a Tuesday in June.
Use extra parsley and black pepper
Upping the parsley and black pepper gives the dish a fresh punch and sharpens things. It won't bring back the catfish, but it keeps the stew lively.
What it costs you. You might notice the greens more than you would in Louisiana. That's not a disaster unless you're violently anti-parsley.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 425 | 288 |
| Protein | 30.7g | 33.8g |
| Fat | 20.9g | 2.9g |
| Saturated fat | 3.4g | 0.7g |
| Carbohydrate | 25.6g | 28.9g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 7.2g | 11.7g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Southern prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, fish, celery, sulphites.
The method is in the book
This isn't the courtbouillon someone grew up with on the bayou - it's lighter, fresher and missing the muddy backbone that catfish brings. The dry-toasted flour does an admirable job of pretending to be a roux for most people, but anyone who's eaten the real thing will know the difference. Still, the cod is firm, the sauce is thick and tomatoey, and it won't leave you ready for a nap. I'd call that a fair deal, even if the catfish purist in me grumbles on.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Southern, along with 50 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.