Pan Fried Trout with Lemon Butter Sauce

This is SO good.  It really is one of our favorite dishes. My brother is a fisherman and when he shares his bounty with us, this is what I make!  Thanks, Al!

Ingredients:

Trout:

• 10 trout filets
• ½ C. flour
• ½ T. Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
• 1 t. kosher salt
• ½ C. vegetable oil

Lemon Butter Sauce:

• 1)         ½ C. white wine
• 2)         ¼ C. lemon juice or the juice of 1 ½ lemons
• 3)         4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4)         2 shallots, finely chopped
• 5)         ½ T. Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
• 6)         1 t. kosher salt
• 7)         ½ t. black pepper
• 8)         1 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 9)         1 T. Crystal hot sauce
• 10)       ¼ C. heavy cream
• 11)       1 stick of butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature

Directions: 

1. Get the ingredients ready for the lemon butter sauce in batches (that’s why I numbered the ingredients)
2. In bowl one: combine 1 – 4, in bowl two: 5 – 9, in bowl three: 10 and in bowl four: 11            
3. Heat a medium skillet over high heat, when the skillet is “Screaming HOT” add bowl one
4. Cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly
5. Next add bowl two and cook for 3 minutes or until the mixture is like syrup, continue to whisk
6. Add the cream (bowl three) and cook for 1 minute
7. Remove the skillet from the heat and then whisk in the butter (bowl four)
8. Let the sauce rest while you cook the fish
9. In a large frying pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat
10. Combine the flour, Creole seasoning, and salt in a shallow bowl
11. Dredge the trout fillets through the flour mixture
12. Pan fry the fish about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown
13. Remove and allow to drain on a cooling rack

Tips and Tricks:

• It is important to have the ingredients for the sauce ready in batches, because it cooks at such a high heat.
• I serve this with pasta because the sauce can be used on both the pasta and the fish.

Chez Helene Chicken Nuggets

This is my attempt to make the nuggets that everyone loves, but NOT everyone wants to go get because of all the controversy lately.  They are very close in taste and exact in texture.  I got this recipe from Amy at “my name is snickerdoodle”.

 Ingredients:

• 6 chicken tenders or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 egg, scrambled
• 1 C. milk
• 1 C. all-purpose flour
• 2 T. confectioners’ sugar
• 1 T. kosher salt
• 1 t. black pepper
• 1 C. canola or vegetable oil (for frying)

Directions:

1. Cut all fat, skin, or tendons from the chicken and cut into 1 inch cubes
2. Combine egg and milk in a bowl and add the nuggets
3. Allow to marinate for 2 – 3 hours in the refrigerator
4. Drain the nuggets in a strainer
5. Preheat canola or vegetable oil to 350 degrees or until a little sprinkle of flour fizzles in the oil
6. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and pepper in a gallon Ziploc bag and add the nuggets to coat each one well
7. Using tongs, add several nuggets, but make sure each has enough room to move
8. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes total, flip around so all sides are browned
9. Remove all and allow the nuggets to drain on a paper towel lined plate
10. Serve immediately

Tips and Tricks:

• I serve this with Honey Mustard or Pepper Jelly Sauce.  Check out my recipe for each.
• The confectioners’ sugar is the SECRET ingredient for this recipe.  You won’t taste that it is there, but you’ll miss it if you leave it out.

Mexican Cornbread

This is the perfect addition to a bowl of Chili.  I made this several times until I got this recipe CORRECT.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Jiffy Cornbread mix
• 1 C. frozen corn
• ½ C. sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1 C. Mexican cheese or Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 C. of jalapeño peppers, pickled
• 1 can of Rotel tomatoes, drained

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Place the last three ingredients into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped
3. Combine all of the ingredients until well incorporated
4. Pour into 9” x 9” cast iron skillet or stoneware baking pan and bake for 40 minutes

Tips and Tricks:

• I use light sour cream for this recipe.
• Jiffy Cornbread has a sweetness that we LOVE.  You can use other cornbread mixes, but this is our favorite.
• I serve this with Chili.

Candied Pecans

These are excellent!  Sweet, crunchy, and a wonderful addition to a fresh salad. 

Ingredients:

• 2 C. pecan halves
• 1/4 C. (½ stick) butter
• ½ C. dark brown sugar

Directions:

1. In a cast iron skillet, heat the butter over medium heat
2. When the butter is fully melted, add the brown sugar and whisk the butter and sugar together
3. Add the pecan halves and roast for 15 – 20 minutes
4. Pour out onto wax paper and spread into a single layer
5. Allow to cool completely, then crack into individual pieces and store in an airtight container

Tips and Tricks:

• I serve these in a candy dish and on top of my Spinach Salad.
• Chopped pecans can be used for this recipe, also.