Cajun Catfish over Sweet Potato Risotto with Caramel Sauce

My wife picked up some really nice sweet potatoes from a roadside stand.  I had to use them as the star of the dinner tonight.  I had some fresh catfish that I lightly seared with Cajun seasonings.  I served it over some sweet potato risotto and topped it with some candied sweet potatoes and a spicy caramel sauce. 

Spicy Cajun Seasoning

2 tsp                            Salt

1 tsp                            cayenne pepper

½ tsp                           white pepper

½ tsp                           black pepper

1 tsp                            garlic powder

1 tsp                            onion powder

1 tsp                            thyme

1 tsp                            cumin

1 tsp                            oregano

Mix all ingredients together and store until needed.

Sweet Potato Risotto

6 tbsp                          unsalted butter

2 tbsp                          diced yellow onions

1-1/2 cups                   ¼” diced sweet potato

3 cups                          chicken stock

1 cup                           Arborio rice

½ cup                          grated Parmesan cheese

as/needed                    salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Heat chicken stock until hot and keep warm.  In a 3 qt saucepan, melt 4 tbsp butter over  medium heat.  Add the yellow onions to the pan and sweat the onions until translucent.  Add the Risotto and the sweet potatoes and brown for about 1 minute.  Add ¾ cup of hot stock and cook until bubbly.  It’s very important to stir constantly.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until all the stock is absorbed.  Keep adding stock ¼ cup at a time and continue to stir.  When all the stock is absorbed, the texture of the rice should be creamy but not clumpy.  This process can take 20 to 30 minutes.  Before serving, stir in 2 tbsp butter and grated parmesan cheese.

Cajun Catfish

1#                                catfish fillets

as needed                    Cajun seasonings

2 tbsp                          canola oil

Add canola oil to a large pan and heat until hot with medium high heat.  Season catfish with the Cajun seasonings then sear in pan on both sides until the fish is flaky.

  

Candied Sweet Potato Sticks and Caramel Sauce

2 cups                          very thin matchstick sweet potatoes

8 tbsp                          unsalted butter

3 tbsp                          brown sugar

as needed                    fresh cracked black pepper

¼ tsp                           Cajun seasoning

Heat 2 tbsp of the butter in sauce pan over medium heat.  When melted, add the sweet potato and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.  When the sweet potato starts to soften (it still needs to be slightly crunchy), add the brown sugar and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.  Remove the pan from heat and remove the sweet potato matchsticks and set aside.  Return the pan to the heat and stir in the rest of the butter.  Scrape the bottom of the pan and stir constantly.  Add the fresh black pepper and the cajun seasoning.  Cook the sauce for about 1 to 2 minutes or until the butter becomes slightly frothy.  Remove the sauce from the heat. 

I plated the sweet potato risotto in the center of the plate, then I topped it with the Cajun seared catfish.  I placed a few of the candied matchstick sweet potatoes over the fish and topped them with some pecans.  Then I spooned the caramel sauce over the entire dish.  The dish was Very Tasty, indeed.