Piquante (pronounced “pee-caw” or “pee-cawnt,”
depending on what side of the bayou you’re
standing on).
The instructions for this dish are a bit lengthy,
but don’t be intimidated; it’s not difficult. Half
of the instructions are for just the first step,
making a roux. Once you get past that, it’s just
adding ingredients and simmering.
This is a classic Cajun dish. Piquante roughly means
“picky,” as in hot or peppery. The traditional dish
has a good amount of fire, but it’s fine adjusted
to anyone’s tastebuds. My rule for adding pepper is
the same as what wine to drink with certain
dishes; whatever you enjoy is the best choice.
Most people believe Cajun food is very peppery,
that we all live off of cayenne peppers. That’s
a common, but very wrong misconception. Cajun food
is spicy, but not “hot” spicy. The spiciness is the
mix of many spices giving it a unique flavor. Cajun
food is a mixture of several cultures that created
the cuisine over time - French, Spanish, English, Native
American, African, Caribbean and others. They all had
something extra to add to the pot, and this incredible
mix of flavors is what makes Cajun cuisine so special.
For example, the slave trade brought okra to
Louisiana from its native Africa, which was
eventually added to gumbo to give it flavor
and help thicken it. But along with adding
the seasoning vegetable to the pot, the slaves
also gave the dish its name: “Gumbo” was the
African word for okra, and after it was added,
it so transformed the dish that it was named
after the transplant.
Sauce Piquante, as its name implies, was created
to be “hot” spicy, with extra pepper,
but it doesn’t need to be hot to be good.
Redfish is the most common fish used in
south Louisiana for the dish, but any firm,
white-fleshed fish should work nicely.
Also, it’s a great sauce for chicken and game
meat. Try it with deer or elk; it’s wonderful.
Ingredients:
— cup flour
— cup cooking oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
— cup finely chopped bell pepper
— cup finely chopped celery
1 cup of water
3 cans peeled, diced tomatoes (sometimes
labeled “stewed” tomatoes)
Creole seasoning, to taste (if you can find
it, Tony Chachere’s brand is my personal
favorite)
1 teaspoon sweet basil
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 pounds of redfish filets, whole or in large chunks
Instructions:
As with most Cajun recipes, this begins with
the same instruction: First, make a roux.
For those uninitiated in Cajun cooking, a roux
is an equal mixture of oil and flour cooked
long and slow until it turns dark. It adds a
nutty flavor to the dish and is a thickening
agent.
To make a roux, you need a heavy-bottomed pot;
a well-cured cast iron pot works best. If the
pot doesn’t have a non-stick surface that can
be scratched with metal utensils, you can use
a whisk to stir it, which works best.
Turn the fire to low-medium, add the oil and
flour, and stir until it reaches a smooth
consistency. It needs to be stirred nearly
constantly to prevent burning and clumping,
and should be cooked until it’s a fairly dark
brown - about the color of a Michelob bottle,
for those cooks who enjoy a nip at the stove.
Making a roux is a labor of love; it takes
time, sometimes 30 minutes, so be patient.
Whether you make a proper roux will make or
break the dish. And while it needs to be dark,
a burned roux is a ruined roux; if it starts
smoking, immediately remove from the heat, and
if it smells burnt, throw it out and start over.
Cooking a roux really isn’t difficult, but it
is an art that sometimes requires a little practice.
Once the roux is properly browned, turn the
fire to medium-high and add the “Holy Trinity”
of Cajun cooking: onion, bell pepper and celery;
no self-respecting Cajun dish is without these
ingredients. Stir this nearly constantly to
prevent the roux from burning, until the vegetables
wilt and the onions begin to turn translucent.
Now it’s time to add the liquid. Adding cold
liquid to hot roux is not a good combination;
it will spit and splatter all over the place,
not only making a mess, but endangering
the exposed skin of the cook as the hot oil
goes flying. To help prevent this, as
you are cooking the Holy Trinity with the roux,
put the cup of water in a small pot and heat it
up; not boiling, but hot. Adding it to the roux
and veggies will even out the temperature of the
mix so it doesn’t splatter, and cool it down just
enough to be able to add the cooler ingredients.
Once the water is added in and stirred, the
mixture will be very thick, maybe even
a paste; that’s OK, it’s supposed to be.
Remember, roux is a thickener; the addition
of other liquids will thin it out.
Next, add the three cans of tomatoes, including
the liquid, and stir everything together. It should
be fairly thin at this point, almost like a stew.
If it’s still too thick, add more liquid, either
water, or broth for extra flavor; I usually use
canned chicken broth.
Once the consistency is right, add the seasoning,
basil, bay leaves and garlic, and stir well. Bring
the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low,
cover the pot and let it simmer for at least an hour.
During this cooking time the roux and the tomatoes
will blend to create an entirely new flavor; not
like a roux, not like a t-mato sauce. The long, slow
cooking is the key. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking
on the bottom of the pot.
Also, as you stir occasionally, check the consistency
of the mixture. If it is too thin, you don’t want it
soupy, allow to simmer uncovered a little while to
thicken it a bit. If the mixture gets too thick,
more liquid can be added. In the end, it
should be about the consistency of beef stew.
Once it has reached the proper consistency, and
simmered at least an hour, test for flavor and
add seasoning, if needed.
Add the fish, cover and simmer 5 to 10 minutes,
or until the fish is cooked through and flakes apart.
Ladle the sauce and a chuck of fish over a bed
of cooked rice. Enjoy with some good bread and
a favorite salad or vegetable sidedish; but above
all, enjoy! ~ Capt. Marty Authement
Do you have a favorite fish recipe? Or neat fish
cooking method? Share them with us here!
Send to publisher@flyanglersonline.com.
Originally published October 31st, 2004 on Fly Anglers Online by Capt. Marty Authement.