Wild Chef: How to Make Catfish Sausage

Wild Chef: How to Make Catfish Sausage

by | Mar 1, 2022 | Fishing

Grind and cook your catch with a side of creamy grits and roasted tomatoes

Chef Robert Phalen, at Atlanta’s acclaimed One Eared Stag restaurant, makes this citrusy, herbal, head-turning “sausage” with catfish, but it’s a fresh and terrific vehicle for other freshwater gamefish like bass or walleye. Don’t let the ­sausage-making component scare you off; after a simple pass through the grinder, this dish couldn’t be easier.

You Will Need

Ingredients

_ Serves 4 _

  • 2 lb. catfish, bass, or walleye ­fillets, roughly chopped
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 cups grits (not instant)
  • 1⁄3 cup white wine
  • 11⁄2 cups parsley, roughly chopped
  • Zest of 3 lemons
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • 11⁄2 Tbsp. fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp. whole coriander seeds
  • 11⁄2 tsp. onion powder
  • 11⁄2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 10 oz. cherry tomatoes
  • About 1⁄2 cup olive oil, divided
  • 4 Tbsp. butter
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Place the components for your meat grinder in the freezer to chill.
  2. Make the grits: Bring 8 cups of salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the bay leaves, then slowly whisk in the grits. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer very gently for 30 minutes to an hour, until the grits are very tender.
  3. Meanwhile, add the wine, parsley, lemon and lime zest, fennel and coriander seeds, onion and garlic powder, and red pepper flakes to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Combine this purée with the fish fillets, and salt and pepper generously.
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chopping catfish Roscoe Bestill (Food and Prop Styling)
  1. Using the coarse setting on your grinder, grind the fish mixture into a clean, cold bowl. Keep refrigerated until ready to cook.
  2. As the grits are cooking, place the tomatoes on a sheet pan and drizzle with about 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place under a broiler for about 8 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and blackened in spots. Keep warm.
  3. In a nonstick sauté pan, heat about 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat. Make patties with the sausage (or sauté loosely, as you would ground beef) and cook, ­flipping once, for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
  4. Add the butter to the grits and stir to combine. Salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Ladle the grits into shallow bowls and top with the sausage and blistered tomatoes. Garnish with the chopped scallions and serve.

Written by Jonathan Miles for Field & Stream and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.

Featured image provided by Field & Stream

How To Cook Venison Carbonnade

How To Cook Venison Carbonnade

by | Mar 5, 2021 | Hunting, Inside Pursuit

Ingredients

  • 3 lb. venison stew meat, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 3 yellow onions, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 16 oz. Belgian dark strong ale or other dark flavorful beer
  • 1 cup (or more) chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
  • 1⁄4 cup chopped parsley
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

  • Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the butter and bacon, and cook until barely crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving for later. Dry the venison with paper towels, then salt and pepper generously. Add the meat to the pot, in batches to avoid overcrowding, and raise the heat to high. Sear the meat well on all sides, then remove to a plate.

  • Add the onions and brown sugar to the pot or Dutch oven and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until the onions are soft and caramelized, with a deep golden-brown color. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.

  • Raise the heat to medium-high. Pour in the beer and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to dislodge any tasty brown bits. Bring to a boil, then add the reserved bacon and the meat along with any accumulated juices. Add the chicken stock (you may need more than a cup to cover the meat), bay leaf, and thyme, and bring to a low simmer. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours.

  • Before serving, uncover and raise the heat to medium to bring the stew to a fast simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the liquids are reduced to a saucelike consistency. Stir in the vinegar or lemon juice, and check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Serve the stew over buttered egg noodles or dumplings, if desired, topping each bowl with a sprinkling of parsley.

Written by Jonathan Miles for Field & Stream and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.

Featured image provided by Field & Stream