Lemony Catfish and Bean Stew

Lemony Catfish and Bean Stew

Beans and Legumes, Fish and Seafood, Main Dish, Recipes

Ingredients 

  • 1 teaspoon dried orange peel or fresh lemon zest 
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice  
  • 1  teaspoon paprika 
  • 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced 
  • ¾ teaspoon each salt and pepper, plus additional to taste 
  • 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick) 
  • 1 pound catfish, cut into bite sized chunks 
  • 6 to 12 cups fresh Swiss chard, cut into bite sized pieces. Can substitute spinach or kale 
  • ½ cup chopped celery leaf 
  •  2 large leeks halved lengthwise, then white and light green parts sliced into  ¼ to ½ inch thick sections (or substitute 1 large yellow onion, minced) 
  • 2 cups cooked any white beans (can substitute 1 15-ounce can white beans) 
  • 2 cups chicken broth (or two cups water plus a tablespoon of Better than Bouillon chicken base) 
  • 1 tablespoon dried or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional) 

  Instructions:

Combine orange peel or lemon zest, paprika, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Add catfish and toss to coat. 

 In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. When butter is melted, add catfish and cook until done. Remove fish and set aside on a plate. 

Add leeks and additional salt and pepper, and cook over medium until leeks are soft. Add beans and chicken broth and bring to a boil then lower to simmer, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in reserved catfish and any juices from the plate, add parsley and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Serving ideas:  

  • serve over farfalle (bow-tie) pasta or over rice. 
  • serve as is with sliced good bread on the side. 
Colcannon with Mushrooms and Leeks

Colcannon with Mushrooms and Leeks

Easy, Main Dish, Recipes, Side Dishes

This is one of those “base recipes” I make. It’s a little different every time, depending on what ingredients I have on hand. I will note that this time I made it with roasted garlic, and that is a game changer. I served it alongside of a good kielbasa, but it also will go with just about anything, or even work as a main dish itself.

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Anasazi Cave Beans with Poblanos and Okra Rice

Beans and Legumes, Cajun, Main Dish, Recipes

Today is clean out the freezer day! Going into April, I want to use up all the odds and ends of last year’s harvest before this year’s veggies start coming in, as well as making sure that nothing from the back of the freezer languishes forgotten.

Lo and Behold, what do I find in the frozen depths but a couple of bratwurst sausage patties, a few bags of poblanos, a bag of okra, and a rotisserie chicken carcass. Time to match that up with some beans, also from last year’s harvest.

I used 1500 Year Old Cave Beans (aka Anasazi Beans), but this is also delicious with red beans, for a variation on Red Beans and Rice.

I started by putting the chicken carcass in a stockpot full of water and let it simmer for a few hours to make the chicken broth while the beans soaked. This will also be used for making jambalaya, so plenty of broth is good.

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