Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off's Winning Recipe

Louisiana is known to rule in the kitchen when it comes to delicious seafood, and for the last five years, the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board has crowned a seafood king during the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off. This year, the crown went to chef Keith Frentz, of Lola in Covington. He wowed the judges with his "Friday Lunch Special," a cornmeal-dusted wild Des Allemands catfish with Camellia red beans and local crawfish succotash, braised collards and house-made tartar sauce. 

Now, Frentz will represent Louisiana in the annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off in August 2012 at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center. Chef Frentz generously shared his recipe so you can feast like a king at home, but remember, the key to this winning dish is a profusion of local flavors.

Succotash

• 1/4 pound country ham (diced)
• 1/4 pound butter
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 2 green bell peppers (diced)
• 4 ribs celery (diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 5 ears fresh corn (shucked)
• 1/2 pound Camellia red beans (soaked & boiled)
• 1 pound Louisiana crawfish tails
• 2 tbsp. Steens cane vinegar
• 4 dashes Tabasco 
• 1 tsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. thyme

Method of Preparation

In hot skillet, crisp ham with half of the butter. Set aside. Add remainder of butter and sauté onion, celery and bell pepper until soft. Add garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add corn kernels, red beans, crawfish and ham. Sautee an additional 3-4 minutes till corn softens. Add vinegar, Tabasco, parsley and thyme. Remove from heat and reserve for later use.

Braised collard greens

• 1 pound smoked bacon (diced)
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 8 cloves garlic (minced) 
• 1/2 gallon water/chicken stock
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Steen’s cane vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 bunch collard greens (washed & chopped)

Method of Preparation:

In a large pot, render bacon until almost crisp. Add onion and garlic and sweat until soft. Add water/stock, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add greens and cook until tender, 30 to 45 minutes.

LOLA tartar sauce

• 2 cups mayonnaise 
• 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
• 3 shakes Tabasco sauce
• 1 tsp. capers (minced)
• 2 lemons (juiced)
• 1 tsp. parsley (minced)
• 1 tsp. dill (minced)
• 2 tbsp. Steen’s cane vinegar
• 1 cup housemade pickles (diced)
• Black pepper

Method of Preparation

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Serve well-chilled.

Cornmeal dusted wild Des Allemands catfish

• 7 (5 oz. to 7 oz.) catfish filets
• 1/4 cup. clarified butter
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup corn flour
• Salt and black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic

Method of Preparation

Mix together cornmeal, flour, salt and pepper, cayenne pepper and garlic and use it to season both sides of catfish filets. Heat butter in non-stick skillet and add catfish flat side up. Cook on moderate to high heat until sides start to brown. Flip over and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes until fork-tender.

To assemble

Spoon succotash in center of plate. Add greens on half the succotash. Place fish over greens. Make sure you can still see both ingredients. Spoon tartar sauce on top of fish.