FILLET OF FLOUNDER WITH CRABMEAT DRESSING AND A SAFFRON VELOUTE’

Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour 30 mins

Recipe by: George Graham

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Velouté Sauce

• 2 cups light chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon saffron threads
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Freshly ground white pepper

Crabmeat Dressing

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup finely diced yellow onion
• ½ cup finely diced green bell pepper
• ½ cup finely diced celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here
• 1 pound Louisiana lump crabmeat
• 1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs, plus more if needed

Flounder

• 4 (8-ounce) flounder fillets, skin and bones removed
• 1 tablespoon Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 lemon slices
• Parsley sprigs, for garnish

Instructions

Velouté Sauce

1. In a small saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil and add the saffron. Turn off the heat and let it steep for 30 minutes.
2. In a small pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring until a light roux forms. Cook for 5 minutes to remove the raw taste of the flour and strain the saffron-infused stock into the pot a little at a time, whisking constantly. Once the sauce thickens to coat the back of a spoon, turn off the heat. Sir in the lemon juice and season to taste with white pepper. (The chicken stock should have enough salt.) Keep warm for serving.

Crabmeat Dressing

3. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the olive oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté until the onion turns translucent, and then add the parsley, rosemary, and garlic. Add the lemon juice and wine, and continue cooking until combined, about 5 minutes. Season the mixture with Cajun seasoning and remove from the heat.
4. Add the crabmeat to the mixture stirring to combine. Add only enough breadcrumbs a little at a time to reach the desired consistency of a moist stuffing. Drizzle a bit more olive oil if needed for moisture. Set aside and keep warm for serving.

Flounder

5. Lay the fillets on a cutting board and sprinkle lightly with Cajun seasoning.
6. In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter and olive oil. Once sizzling, add the fillets and sauté on both sides until the fish is cooked through and just begins to brown. Remove the pan from the heat.
7. For serving, use a long fish spatula to move the fish fillet gently to a plate. Top with a generous portion of crabmeat dressing and spoon over the sauce. Garnish with a slice of lemon and sprig of parsley. Serve with more of the sauce on the side.

Notes

You can source delicious fish, crab, shrimp, and oysters from Louisiana Direct Seafood. I like crabmeat in this stuffing recipe, but crawfish, shrimp, or oysters would be delicious, as well. I use white lump crabmeat, but claw meat will work. Add only enough breadcrumbs to combine the mixture, but remain moist. A light sauce is essential with this delicate dish; I wouldn’t suggest a heavy cream sauce. If you do not have access to saffron, leave it out of the recipe and make a simple lemon velouté sauce. Watch your flounder cook; the timing for doneness will vary with the thickness of your fillets. If your flounder fillets are large, use two spatulas to move them around carefully.