Whatcha Got Cookin’ is a weekly rock-n-roll recipe from area chefs and restaurants, presented to you so you can try to make it yourself. This week we check out the Blackened Blue Catfish and Grits from Chef Kurt Peter at Chesapeake Chef Services.

Whatcha Got Cookin’ is made possible in part by the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Maryland’s Best Seafood and Agriculture Products Program.

BLACKENED BLUE CATFISH & GRITS

Catfish Ingredients:

1 lb of Maryland Blue Catfish, raw, cut into 3” strips

¼ cup Blackening Cajun Seasoning

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

3 table spoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Catfish Direction:

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and let marinate for at least an hour

Cook in a cast iron skillet to blacken until just cooked through

Grits Ingredients:

2 cups – Heirloom, Thick Grits

4 cups – Any Stock

¼ pound – Tass or smoked

ham diced

¼ pound – Andouille, Diced

3 sprigs – Thyme

.5 each -White Onion, Minced

4 tablespoons –

Butter, Unsalted

Salt and Black

Pepper to taste

¼ cups – Mascarpone

1 each – Lemon, Whole

Cooking Oil

Grits Directions:

Sauté onions, thyme, tasso, and andouille

Pour in the stock and bring to a boil.

Add the grits and stir well. Bring back to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Cook until grits is tender. Pick out the thyme stems. Stir in butter and season to taste.

Serve grits in a bowl, top with a dollop of room temperature mascarpone and the blackened blue catfish.

Blackened Blue Cat Watermen Expo

Blue Catfish fact sheet