Recipe of the Week: Brown Butter Braised Gulf Seafood
Serves 4
For The Braised Seafood:
- 4 Fillets Of Gulf Snapper
- ½ Pound Of Large Gulf Shrimp
- ½ Pound Whole Unsalted Butter
- 2 Limes Juiced and Zested
- 2 cups of water
- Salt and Pepper to taste
For The Bouillabaisse Reduction:
- 3 tbls. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Large Onion Diced
- 4 Ribs of Celery Diced
- 2 Red Bell Peppers Diced
- 3 Cloves of Garlic Minced
- ¼ Cup Pernod or Herbsaint Liquor
- 2 pcs Star Anise
- 2 Sprigs Of Thyme
- 6 Basil Leaves
- 4 8oz. Cans V8 Tomato Juice
- 1 Lemon Juiced
Bouillabaisse Reduction Preparation:
- Add to sauce pot over medium heat, extra virgin olive oil, celery, pepper, onion, garlic, star anise and thyme. Sweat this mixture until the vegetables are soft and translucent
- Deglaze with Pernod or Herbsaint Liquor and lemon juice.
- Add the tomato juice and basil. Cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 10 minutes, season with salt and pepper.
- Strain Sauce through a fine mesh strainer and reserve hot until ready to use.
For The Seafood:
- Place a deep sauté pan over high heat and add the butter, swirl butter in pan until it starts to separate, turn the heat down to medium and cook the butter until it starts to brown and smells nutty.
- Once butter is browned sauté seasoned fish fillets and shrimp for 2 minutes on each side.
- Add the lime juice and zest and the water.
- Return to high heat and cook for approximately 5 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through
- Plate one fillet of fish and a few shrimp and cover with some of the bouillabaisse reduction.
Chefs Tip:
To brown butter: Start your pan on high heat and add your butter. You will see the milk fats start to separate and brown. This is one of my favorite sauces if done right, it imparts a nutty flavor to any seafood or meat dish and is highly versatile; add a little lemon juice and some capers and you have a classic sauce that is really good on almost everything. Be careful not to burn the butter, because you will have to start over again. No one likes burnt butter.