During a normal year, the Marquette Food Co-op regularly hosts food demonstrations and hands-on cooking classes. However, this year, they are hosting these events virtually with an area chef, dietitian, or staff member. Their latest virtual cooking class featured Alex Palzewicz, the Market Manager for the Upper Peninsula Food Exchange and TLD’s own Sales Coordinator, as she cooked up some flavorful Yooper Jamabalaya.
Ingredients:
• 2 T lard or butter
• 2 T whole wheat flour
• 1 cup collards, swiss chard or spinach
• 4-6 green onions, sliced thin (reserve 2 T for garnish)
• 1 carrot, small dice
• 1 red bell pepper, small dice
• 1 t dried basil spice
• 1 T cajun seasoning
•1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 T maple syrup
•1 lb andouille sausage, medium dice
• 1 T neutral oil, divided
• 1 lb whitefish filets, cut into 4-6 pieces
• 1 T paprika
• 1 T chili flakes
• 2 C bone broth
• 1 C short grain brown rice
• 2 T cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, sliced into 6 wedges
• salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 325°F.
Heat a cast iron skillet to medium heat. Add lard or butter to the pan and sprinkle in flour, stir constantly. Cook flour and fat mixture for 2-3 minutes or until bubbling and turns light brown in color.
Add andouille sausage, greens, green onions, carrot, and bell pepper to pan, sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add basil, Cajun seasoning, tomatoes, and maple syrup. Stir well to combine and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add broth and rice to cast iron pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pan with fitted lid and cook for about 20-25 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Check and stir occasionally.
Cook the whitefish. Drizzle half of neutral oil on a sheet tray and use a paper towel or your fingers to smear around on tray to coat. Place whitefish filets skin side down. Drizzle remaining oil over the fish, then sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper, paprika, and chili flakes. Place in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Once rice is cooked, remove pan from heat and stir gently just to toss. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
When the whitefish is finished, remove from oven and squeeze with lime juice right away.
To serve, place rice on plate and top with piece of whitefish. Garnish with green onion, cilantro, and lime slice. Serves 4-6.
Recipe by Alex Palzewicz from “All Things Local” virtual cooking class
Upcoming Cooking Classes from the Marquette Food Co-op:
9/29 Latkes: Family Cook Along Class, 6-7:30pm
10/13 Your Kitchen Apothecary, 6-7:30pm
11/11 The Dairy Cuisine of Northern India, 6-7:30pm
Find more great recipes here