Pappadeaux Snapper Ponchartrain

By hlovell

Pappadeaux Snapper Ponchartrain is the copycat recipe for Pappadeaux's Red Snapper Ponchartrain that is smothered in a rich, brown buttery sauce and filled with fish, fresh vegetables, sweet shrimp, and assorted spices to make the perfect, most delicious recipe that you can enjoy on any date night in, to impress an important dinner guest, or to serve for family Sunday dinner.

Ingredients

• 24medium24 medium fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved
• 1/2cup1/2 cup onions, chopped
• 1/2cup1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2cup1/2 cup carrots, chopped
• 5cups5 cups water
• 1 1/8cups1 1/8 cups unsalted butter, divided
• 4tablespoons4 tablespoons flour, plus
• 2cups2 cups flour, divided
• 1 1/2tablespoons1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
• 1/4cup1/4 cup chopped yellow onions
• 11 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1teaspoon1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce or Tabasco
• 1/3cup1/3 cup Madeira wine
• 1tablespoon1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1 1/2teaspoons1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1teaspoon1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1teaspoon1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 6(8-ounce)6 (8-ounce) fresh red snapper fillets or other white-fleshed mild fish like cod, haddock, or halibut
• 1/2cup1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 6-ounces6-ounces crab claws or 6-ounces backfin crab meat

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 100mins

Preparation

Step 1

Combine reserved shrimp shells, chopped vegetables, and water in a large stockpot; simmer over medium heat until liquid is reduced to 3 cups, about 30 minutes; strain and set aside.

Make a roux in a heavy saucepan by melting 4 tablespoons butter until it begins to turn brown. Slowly whisk in 4 tablespoons flour until mixture thickens to a paste; cook until it turns a light, golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in another saucepan. Add garlic and onion and saute over medium heat 2 minutes. Add crushed bouillon cube, pepper sauce, and shrimp stock. Stir and let simmer.

While the stock is simmering, melt 1 stick plus 1 1/3 tablespoons butter in a separate saucepan, stirring, until it turns golden brown; set aside. Add roux to the stock mixture and stir to incorporate, then simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Add brown butter to stock and whisk until incorporated and emulsified. Whisk in Madeira until incorporated. Set sauce aside and keep warm while the fish fillets are cooking.

Mix salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne into remaining 2 cups flour. Dip fish fillets in lemon juice, then into seasoned flour to coat.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large heated skillet over medium heat. Place fillets in skillet and cook until golden brown and completely cooked, about 4 minutes per side.

While the fish is cooking, saute the peeled shrimp in 1 tablespoon butter just until they turn pink, do not overcook. Add shrimp and crab to Madeira sauce. Spoon 4 shrimp and a couple ounces of heated sauce over fillets and serve.