Creole-Style African Fish Patties with Pontchartrain Sauce
Golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside, these Creole-style African Fish Patties are seasoned with Creole spices, pan-fried, and paired with a rich and creamy Creole-style Pontchartrain sauce prepared from spices of the African diaspora. This dish is bursting with flavor at each bite.
I’m proud to collaborate with more than 30 Black recipe developers as we celebrate Black History Month 2022. This Virtual Potluck explores Black food through the lens of Afrofuturism. Our collaboration of recipes explores the intersection of the Black diaspora via culture, future, geopolitics, imagination, liberation, culture, and technology.
Cook and share the inspiring recipes by checking out the list of participants below. Follow each participant and continue the discussion with us on social media using the hashtag #BHMVP2022!
A little background for my chosen recipe and how it was reimagined through the lens of Afrofuturism:
This elevated fish cake, paired with a rich, savory sauce, establishes a connection between the flavors of our past and those of the present. To forge an intersection of culture and cuisines, I combined techniques used in South African style cooking (the fish patties) and paired it with a popular sauce in Creole cooking (the Pontchartrain sauce).
For this further expand this culinary fusion, I then swapped the flavors and spices used in each part of the recipe. For example, the South African fish patties are seasoned with Creole ingredients and spices (like Creole seasoning, celery, and green bell pepper), while the traditional Creole Pontchartrain sauce is prepared using spices from the African diaspora (like curry and harissa). It’s a flavor explosion!
Golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside, these fish cakes are the perfect appetizer. This new “take” on fish patties will certainly tempt those new (or revisiting) African and Cajun flavors to try something new.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- You’ll need fresh flounder, yellow potatoes, white onion, celery, green bell pepper, and an organic egg for the fish patties.
- The crispy exterior of the patty is prepared using Panko breadcrumbs, all-purpose flour, and Creole seasoning.
- The seasoning for the fish patties will include onion powder, garlic powder, red cayenne pepper, basil flakes, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper.
- And you’ll need a little olive oil to pan-fry the patties.
- The Pontchartrain Sauce all starts with an easy roux made with butter, all-purpose flour, and minced garlic.
- You’ll also need heavy cream, lemon juice, kosher seafood stock, grated parmesan cheese, white onion, celery, and hot sauce.
- And we can’t forget the seasonings for the sauce, which include ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, ground allspice, nutmeg, ginger, harissa, sea salt, and black pepper.
Tips when making your fish patties and sauce:
- When blending the ingredients for your fish patties, you want to leave some texture in the fish. So don’t over blend, which may significantly alter your end result.
- When forming the patties, I prefer the make them thicker. It creates that crispy exterior effect while leaving the interior moist and tender.
- For even distribution of your seasonings, combine them together in a small bowl before adding them to other ingredients.
- Looking for a substitute for the heavy cream? Coconut milk would work great as well.
- The texture of your sauce should not be too runny or too thick. You want a nice consistency that pours easily.
This fish patty (or cake) recipe was created to pay homage to my culinary past and present. My goal was to remain true to the flavors of the diaspora while getting a little creative in the kitchen at the same time. I know this is something you will enjoy!
PrintCreole-Style African Fish Patties with Pontchartrain Sauce
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
Tender on the inside and golden brown on the outside, these Fish Patties with Pontchartrain Sauce are seasoned with Creole spices, pan-fried, and paired with a rich and creamy Creole-style sauce prepared from spices from the African diaspora.
Ingredients
- 2/3 lb yellow potatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb fresh flounder
- 1/4 cup white onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup celery, chopped
- 1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp Creole seasoning, divided
- 1 large organic egg
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp red cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp basil flakes
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1 cup kosher seafood stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp harissa
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
For the fish patties:
- Remove the skin from potatoes and boil for 25 minutes. Drain, place in a large bowl, and mash cooked potatoes with a masher until smooth. Set to the side.
- Heat a cooking pan at medium heat. Add the olive oil, chopped green bell peppers, onions, and celery, cooking for 5 minutes.
- Season the flounder fish with 3 tablespoons of Creole seasoning, then place the fish on top of the onions and peppers, cooking for an additional 2 minutes on each side. Remove from heat.
- Add cooked fish, onions, and pepper into a food processor (paid link) and blend, leaving the fish slightly chunky.
- Add flour, 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning, and Panko breadcrumbs in a separate large bowl. Mix well.
- Add the fish mixture and egg into the bowl with the mashed potatoes. Fold to combine ingredients.
- Add onion powder, garlic powder, red cayenne pepper, basil flakes, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper fish mixture, then stir together until blended well.
- Form palm-sized patties from fish mixture, then coat with breadcrumb mixture.
- Heat a cooking pan at medium heat and add 1 inch of cooking oil. Pan-fry fish patties for 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on paper towel to drain excess oil.
For the Pontchartrain sauce:Â
- Heat a cooking pan at medium heat. Add butter, garlic, and flour, stirring together until the butter melts. Add onion and celery. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then slightly lower heat. Add kosher seafood stock and stir until it begins to bind.
- Add heavy cream, hot sauce, lemon juice, ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, ground allspice, nutmeg, ginger, harissa, sea salt, and black pepper to the pan and occasionally stir until blended. Remove from heat. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until combined.
- Serve sauce over fish patties.
- Prep Time: 40
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Pan Fry
- Cuisine: Creole
Nutrition
- Calories: 281
- Sugar: 1.9g
- Sodium: 241mg
- Fat: 11.7g
- Saturated Fat: 5.4g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 2.1g
- Protein: 18.8g
- Cholesterol: 79mg
Keywords: Creole-Style African Fish Patties with Pontchartrain Sauce, African Fish Patties, Pontchartrain Sauce
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