Pontchartrain Salmon with Dirty Rice

S7 E10 | NOFX | Fat Mike and El Hefe Define Punk | Something's Burning

Fat Mike and El Hefe of NOFX define punk while Bert cooks a New Orleans plate that does not mess around: blackened salmon over Cajun dirty rice, finished with a buttery Pontchartrain sauce loaded with shrimp and crab. Loud kitchen, big flavor.

Pontchartrain Salmon with Dirty Rice

Ingredients

Pontchartrain Sauce

  • 24 medium shrimp, deveined and peeled
  • 24 shrimp shells and tails (from the shrimp)
  • 1 carrot, cut into rough chunks
  • 1 stalk celery, cut into rough chunks
  • 1/2 an onion, cut into rough chunks
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed at room temperature, plus 4 tablespoons
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons AP flour
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 chicken bouillon cube
  • 6 oz crab meat (lump or claw, your preference)
  • 1/4 cup Madeira wine
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
  • Salt and pepper

Blackened Salmon

  • 3 10 oz salmon fillets, skin on
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Dirty Rice

  • 1 1/2 cups long grain rice
  • 3 cups chicken stock for cooking, plus 1/4 cup reserved
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 pound ground beef 80/20
  • 8 oz smoked sausage, sliced into bite size pieces
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 large celery stalk, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish

  • Lemon wedges

Steps

  1. Wash the rice and place it in a rice cooker with chicken stock; cook according to the rice cooker instructions.
  2. Make the shrimp stock: add water, shrimp shells and rough chopped carrot, celery and onion to a large pot over high heat.
  3. Bring to a boil; simmer 20-30 minutes to reduce.
  4. Make the blackened seasoning: stir together all ingredients except the butter and salmon in a small bowl.
  5. Start the dirty rice: melt butter with olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
  6. Add the ground beef; saute and break it up until lightly browned.
  7. Add the sausage and cook 3-5 minutes until browned.
  8. Add the celery, onion, bell pepper and garlic; stir and cook another 3-5 minutes.
  9. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried oregano, cayenne, salt and pepper; stir through.
  10. Add 1-2 tablespoons of chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the pan.
  11. Fluff and add the cooked rice to the skillet; turn heat to low and stir through gently.
  12. Add a splash or two of chicken stock if it looks dry; season with salt and pepper if needed.
  13. Turn off the heat and cover the skillet with a tent of foil to hold the rice warm.
  14. Place a skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil and when hot, add the shrimp.
  15. Season with salt and pepper and saute until just pink, a minute or two each side.
  16. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
  17. In the same skillet over medium heat, add 4 tablespoons butter and when melted, add flour.
  18. Whisk into a smooth paste and continue whisking until it turns light golden brown to make a roux. Set the roux aside.
  19. In a large saucepan over medium high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil and when hot, add garlic and onion; saute 2-3 minutes.
  20. Strain the shrimp stock, then add 3 cups of it to the saucepan.
  21. Add the bouillon cube and bring to a strong simmer.
  22. Whisk the roux into the stock until fully incorporated; simmer 3-5 minutes until thickening.
  23. Melt 1 1/2 sticks butter in the microwave in 10 second bursts.
  24. Whisk the melted butter into the stock mixture until combined.
  25. Whisk in the Madeira wine and Cajun seasoning; turn heat to very low to hold the sauce warm while you cook the salmon.
  26. Place a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat and let it heat through.
  27. Melt the salmon butter in the microwave in 10 second bursts and pat the salmon dry.
  28. Place the salmon on a sheet pan or plate and coat in the melted butter.
  29. Sprinkle generously with blackening seasoning and press it in with your hands.
  30. Place the fillets in the cast iron skillet and turn the heat to medium.
  31. Cook the salmon 4-6 minutes per side (135F internal is good for medium).
  32. Turn the sauce back up to medium low, whisk, then add the crab and cooked shrimp; stir well and cook 3-5 minutes.
  33. To serve: lay rice down on plates, place a salmon fillet on top, ladle sauce generously over the salmon and garnish with a lemon wedge. Enjoy.

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