Blackened Catfish with Dirty Rice and Creamy Sauce
Blackened Catfish with Dirty Rice and Creamy Sauce
Ingredients
For the Dirty Rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 4 ounces andouille sausage, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 3 cups cooked white rice
For the Blackened Catfish
- 4 catfish fillets, about 6 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons blackened seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
For the Creamy Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1/8 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1/8 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/8 cup orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cooked lobster meat, diced into small pieces
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- 1
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced yellow onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and orange bell pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add 1 teaspoon of garlic paste and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
⏱️ 7 min
- 2
Add the ground beef and diced andouille sausage to the pot. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess grease from the pot using a paper towel or by carefully tilting and spooning it out.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Season the meat and vegetables with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Mix well to combine.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour over the mixture and stir well for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Pour in 1/4 cup of beef broth and stir until a slightly thickened sauce forms.
⏱️ 3 min
- 5
Add 3 cups of cooked white rice to the pot. Mix thoroughly until the rice is evenly coated with the meat and vegetable mixture. Reduce heat to low, cover, and set aside to keep warm while preparing the rest of the meal.
⏱️ 3 min
- 6
Pat the catfish fillets dry with paper towels. In a shallow dish, combine 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning and 2 tablespoons of blackened seasoning. Dredge each catfish fillet in the seasoning mixture, ensuring it's fully coated on both sides.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until shimmering and just starting to smoke. Carefully place the seasoned catfish fillets in the hot skillet.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Cook the catfish for 3-4 minutes per side until a dark, crusty 'blackened' exterior forms and the fish is cooked through. Halfway through cooking the second side, squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the fillets.
⏱️ 8 min
- 9
Remove the cooked catfish from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
In a separate medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of garlic paste and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the diced yellow onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and orange bell pepper. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables soften.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
Season the vegetables with 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir well and cook for 1 minute.
⏱️ 2 min
- 12
Pour in 1/4 cup of beef broth and 1 cup of heavy cream. Whisk continuously until well combined. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over low heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it slightly thickens.
⏱️ 6 min
- 13
Stir in the diced cooked lobster meat and 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce has reached your desired consistency. Remove from heat.
⏱️ 3 min
- 14
To assemble, spoon a generous portion of the dirty rice onto each plate. Place one blackened catfish fillet on top of the dirty rice. Drizzle a generous amount of the creamy sauce over the catfish and rice. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Blackened Catfish with Dirty Rice and Creamy Sauce
For the Dirty Rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 4 ounces andouille sausage, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 3 cups cooked white rice
For the Blackened Catfish
- 4 catfish fillets, about 6 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons blackened seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
For the Creamy Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1/8 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1/8 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/8 cup orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces cooked lobster meat, diced into small pieces
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- 1
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced yellow onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and orange bell pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add 1 teaspoon of garlic paste and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
⏱️ 7 min - 2
Add the ground beef and diced andouille sausage to the pot. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess grease from the pot using a paper towel or by carefully tilting and spooning it out.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Season the meat and vegetables with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Mix well to combine.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour over the mixture and stir well for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Pour in 1/4 cup of beef broth and stir until a slightly thickened sauce forms.
⏱️ 3 min - 5
Add 3 cups of cooked white rice to the pot. Mix thoroughly until the rice is evenly coated with the meat and vegetable mixture. Reduce heat to low, cover, and set aside to keep warm while preparing the rest of the meal.
⏱️ 3 min - 6
Pat the catfish fillets dry with paper towels. In a shallow dish, combine 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning and 2 tablespoons of blackened seasoning. Dredge each catfish fillet in the seasoning mixture, ensuring it's fully coated on both sides.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until shimmering and just starting to smoke. Carefully place the seasoned catfish fillets in the hot skillet.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Cook the catfish for 3-4 minutes per side until a dark, crusty 'blackened' exterior forms and the fish is cooked through. Halfway through cooking the second side, squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the fillets.
⏱️ 8 min - 9
Remove the cooked catfish from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
In a separate medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of garlic paste and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the diced yellow onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and orange bell pepper. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables soften.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
Season the vegetables with 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir well and cook for 1 minute.
⏱️ 2 min - 12
Pour in 1/4 cup of beef broth and 1 cup of heavy cream. Whisk continuously until well combined. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over low heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it slightly thickens.
⏱️ 6 min - 13
Stir in the diced cooked lobster meat and 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce has reached your desired consistency. Remove from heat.
⏱️ 3 min - 14
To assemble, spoon a generous portion of the dirty rice onto each plate. Place one blackened catfish fillet on top of the dirty rice. Drizzle a generous amount of the creamy sauce over the catfish and rice. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 2 min