Courtesy of Chef Jeremy Stephens
Blackened Speckled Trout, Shellfish Sauce Piquant, Crab Fat Popcorn Rice
Speckled trout: 680 g - 1000 g
Shrimps: 100 g - peel & deveined, minced
Whipped cream: 50 g
Panko: 25 g
Blackening spice: 20 g
Egg whites: 15 g
Salt: 2 g
Salt: 20 g
Sweet paprika: 10 g
Granulated onion: 10 g
Granulated garlic: 5 g
White pepper: 5 g
Black pepper: 5 g
Cayenne pepper: 2.5 g
Celery: 2 g
Thyme: 1 g
Oregano: 1 g
Reserved fish carcass, bones & head
Blue crab, whole: 2 each
Shrimps: 450 g , whole, head-on, peeled & deveined (reserving shells)
Yellow onion: 150 g, quartered
Yellow onion: 150 g, small diced
Celery: 150 g, small diced
Green bell pepper: 100 g, small diced
Red bell peppers: 100 g, small diced
Garlic: 25 g, minced
Creole tomato: 100 g, quartered
Scallion: 10 g, finely chopped
Parsley: 10 g
Butter: 25 g, unsalted
Salt: 2 g
Cayenne pepper: 4 g
All purpose flour: 10 g
Water: 1000 g
Bay: 2 each
Cajun country popcorn rice: 200 g
Reserve shellfish stock: 275 g
Crab head fat: 15 g
Butter: 15 g
Salt: 5 g
This dish was inspired by the fishing trips chef Jeremy Stephens enjoyed with his family in the waterways of the Gulf of Mexico, where fish like speckled trout and other seafood is abundant in the summertime. “I can remember my grandmother cooking her version of this dish with whatever fish we caught. It shows how I like to incorporate what’s in peak season and usually relatively common ingredients found in and around our homes,” he says. The recipe is a reflection on the different possibilities posed by various ingredients, whether they are plants or animals. Stephens is able to celebrate the culture of his childhood home in southern Louisiana by using the ‘blackened technique’ invented by chef Paul Prudhomme. “He was a huge influence in my youth to tell stories through food. I wanted to honour his contribution but elevate his technique,” he says.
If you want a taste of southern Louisiana, follow Jeremy Stephens' recipe step by step.
Start off with sourcing a local fish - for this recipe we will be using speckled trout. Using a sharp knife, begin by scaling and gutting the whole fish. Fillet both sides of the fish, place on a sheet pan and keep cool.
Remove and discard skin and all pin bones. With sharp scissors remove and discard the gills. Rinse carcass under cold water to remove all blood and debris.
Trim the fillet and reserve the trimmings in a chilled metal bowl. Using a spoon, scrape the carcass reserving flesh in the bowl. Cut the carcass into thirds, and split the head in half. Reserve the carcass for the sauce.
Place scraped flesh of trout in a food processor with the minced shrimp, heavy whipping cream, panko bread crumbs, blackening spice and egg white. Process for approximately 1 minute or until fully incorporated into a paste-like texture. Using a spatula, put the blackened mousseline in a piping bag and cut the tip to a 6.5mm diameter.
Lay out a piece of plastic wrap over a flat surface. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with salt and the top side of the fillet with blackening spice. Place the fillet on the plastic wrap, with the fillet on top. Using the mousseline in the piping bag, pipe uniform rows on top of the fillet, creating a 'crust'. While applying light-to-medium pressure, roll the fillet in plastic wrap and refrigerate for later use.
This makes enough to prepare this recipe twice, or sprinkle the leftovers on some grilled veggies!
Add all ingredients to a mortar bowl and grind with a pestle until fully incorporated.
Preparing the tomato puree - place quartered tomatoes and onions on an aluminium foiled sheet pan, sprinkle with salt and cook at 200℃ for approximately 30 minutes or until lightly charred. Puree in a food processor until smooth. Reserve tomato puree for later use.
Using a cast iron pot, place heat to high and add 50g butter, and the fish carcass along with the shrimp shells and crabs. Begin to sauté until browned.
Add water and bay leaves, bring to a low boil. Cook for 15 minutes.
Remove crabs from stock to cool. Cook stock for an additional 5 minutes.
Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl, making sure to press as much liquid out as possible. Discard fish carcass and shrimp shells. Save seafood stock for the next step, which should be approximately 1L.
Clean the cooled crab making sure to scrape the head fat into a small container. Pick as much meat from the bodies and claws and reserve for plating up.
Over medium-high heat, add 50g butter, diced onions, salt and cayenne pepper and begin to sweat for approximately five minutes, or until the onions begin to brown and turn translucent.
Add celery, green bell peppers, red bell peppers and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and sprinkle flour over the sautéed vegetables, making sure there are no lumps.
Add garlic and 700g shellfish stock and bring to boil, reducing mixture by ⅓.
Add roasted tomato mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low for 45 minutes until the sauce cooks down and begins to thicken. Submerge your peeled & de-veined shrimp and cherry tomatoes into tomato sauce and cook for 15-20 minutes on a low heat, or until shrimp are cooked. Top with green onions and parsley.
In a small cast-iron pot, add butter, salt and rice. Toast until rice becomes fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
Add the crab head fat, and sauté for another minute.
Add the reserve shellfish stock, and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 12 minutes. Remove pot from heat and let cooked rice rest for five minutes
Using a fork, fluff rice and keep covered until ready to serve
Remove fish from the refrigerator and plastic wrap. Pat dry and season with blackening spice.
Place a cast-iron skillet over high heat, until the pan begins to smoke. Brush fish with melted butter and place in the centre of the skillet, quickly browning the mousseline crust, approximately 1-2 minutes. Once there is an established caramelised surface, flip the fish over for 1 minute
Place fish on an oven safe sheet pan at 70℃ oven for approximately 3-5 minutes. The blackened speckled trout should have an internal temperature of 50℃. Remove fish from the oven, let it rest on a paper towel for two minutes.
Assembly of the the Blackened Speckled Trout, Shellfish Sauce Piquant, Crab Fat Popcorn Rice
Arrange rice on the bottom of the plate, placing the fish on top. Arrange cherry tomatoes around and on top of the trout. Remove shrimp from sauce and arrange on the plate. Place the reserve crab meat and herbs to garnish. Pour 'sauce piquant' to the side or over the top of the blackened speckled trout.
