Celery

Creole Whitefish in Brodo

April 20, 2015
5
2 Ratings
Photo by Mark Weinberg
  • Prep time 30 minutes
  • Cook time 50 minutes
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

My husband and I traveled to New Orleans in March for the first time for a long weekend and one of our many memorable meals was at Jacques Imo's, a Creole/Cajun restaurant. Our table was actually in the bed of a pick-up truck out front! I rarely order fish at restaurants because I am so picky about it, but wanted to try New Orleans Redfish, so I ordered their Redfish special, prepared with kale and red quinoa in a Parmesan broth. Here is a version I put together so I can enjoy this at home. —Emily | Cinnamon&Citrus

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock (homemade is best)
  • 2 hard rinds of Pecorino cheese (or Parmesan, or one of each!)
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 filets of white fish (in New Orleans it is commonly Red Fish. In Cleveland, I use walleye. Tilapia, cod, or turbot would also be great)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 rib celery, diced
  • 1 large clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 small bunch of kale, tough stems removed, chopped
  • 1/4 cup red quinoa, rinsed and drained thrice
Directions
  1. Bring 4 cups of stock to a boil in a medium sauce pan, then reduce heat to simmer. Add cheese rinds and simmer for 30 minutes to infuse the broth with the cheese flavor. Reserve. You will use 1/2 cup of this broth to cook the quinoa.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400F. Put the halved grape tomatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper as well as the oregano and fresh thyme. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking time. Reserve.
  3. While the tomatoes are roasting, cook the quinoa. Bring 1/2 c of the Parmesan/Pecorino broth to boil in a small sauce pan, add quinoa, and reduce to simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork
  4. Make a spice blend from the salt, pepper, dried thyme, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Pat your fish fillets dry with a paper towel and generously coat both sides with the spice mixture.
  5. In a large Dutch oven, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Sear the white fish for about 3 minutes on each side and remove; reserve on a plate loosely tented with foil.
  6. Add your onion and celery to the Dutch Oven and cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute. Add your reserved stock and the reserved oven roasted tomatoes and bring to a boil.
  7. Add the chopped kale and toss to wilt into the broth. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until the kale softens a bit, about 8 minutes. In the final 5 minutes, add in your reserved quinoa and set the fish filets on top of your stew to warm back through. Serve bowls of broth, quinoa, and vegetables with a fish filet atop each. Enjoy!

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • drbabs
    drbabs
  • Lucy Edwards
    Lucy Edwards
  • aargersi
    aargersi
  • Emily | Cinnamon&Citrus
    Emily | Cinnamon&Citrus

8 Reviews

drbabs May 12, 2021
Emily, I have made this and versions of his several times since you posted it. It’s wonderful! I am going to NOLA this weekend. We have reservations at Jacques Imo’s Saturday night and I am super excited!
 
drbabs May 11, 2022
Funny, it’s a year later and I am making it tonight!
 
Sarah W. May 29, 2020
This was an excellent and flavorful recipe. I used Tilapia, an inexpensive and sustainable fish. I also chose to add the leftover spices from the spice coating for the fish into the broth, giving it some more heat. I didn't have time to roast the tomatoes, so I substituted sun-dried tomatoes into the veggies instead. Delicious!
 
Lucy E. October 5, 2015
this is delicious .... i loved this recipe when i ate there, and i THANK you for sharing it with us! I made it this weekend ... made me long for New Orleans again
 
Emily |. October 6, 2015
Thanks so much, Lucy. Glad you enjoyed it!
 
drbabs May 12, 2015
Wow, this sounds great!
 
aargersi May 12, 2015
YAY New Orleans! YAY this recipe! Did you try their duck po'boy too?
 
Emily |. May 15, 2015
I didn't! Surprisingly, as I'm allergic to shellfish so I usually tried all the duck and sausage dishes (Muriel's duck & andouille gumbo was incredible.). Next time!