Catfish & Grits in Chardonnay Cream

Who doesn’t love fried fish? Well, in the South there’s a pretty standard meal that typically consists of fried catfish and grits. All I’ve done is stepped it up a notch with sauteed spinach and a healthy saucing of Chardonnay Cream.

Here’s the recipe:

For the catfish:
2 catfish fillets
Sazon by Goya (2 packets)
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1 tablespoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 cup of stone ground corn meal
Vegetable oil, for frying

Liberally season fish with Sazon, salt, pepper, and paprika. Allow to sit for up to 30 minutes to marinate. Preheat oil to 360 degrees. Dredge fish in corn meal and deep fry until golden brown. When done remove from oil and drain thoroughly on paper towels.

For the grits:
2 ½ cups of low sodium chicken broth
1 ½ cups of stone ground grits or polenta
1 teaspoon of salt
½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup of heavy cream
2 tablespoons of butter

Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add salt and grits and stir continuously. Once grits have thickened and cooked through add in butter, cheese, and cream. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook through until thick and creamy. Remember, you can’t rush this process – you will need about 30 minutes to cook grits properly.

For the sautéed spinach:
3 cups of fresh spinach
2 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

Combine everything in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Cook through until spinach has wilted to your desire. Be sure to mix well to ensure all seasonings have been thoroughly incorporated.

For the Chardonnay Cream Sauce:
1 medium shallot minced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
1 tablespoon of butter
½ cup of Chardonnay
½ cup of heavy cream
½ cup of Asiago cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium sauce pan sauté shallots and garlic cloves in the butter until soft. Start sauté on medium heat and be sure not to brown too much. Add Chardonnay and let reduce by half. Turn heat to low and add in cream, parsley, and cheese and stir until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste and spoon sauce over entire dish.

Enjoy the pictures!