This easy recipe uses the steam from rice to soften collard greens as they cook together in one pot. The rice makes a hearty base for Cajun-spiced catfish and persimmon (a seasonal fruit with sweet, subtly spiced flavor) marinated with pickled jalapeño.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 Catfish Fillets
- 3/4 c Jasmine Rice
- 2 Scallions
- 1 Collard Greens
- 1 Persimmon
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1 oz Sliced Pickled Jalapeño Pepper
- 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Cajun Spice Blend (Smoked Paprika, Ground Yellow Mustard, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Whole Dried Oregano, Whole Dried Thyme, & Cayenne Pepper)
- 2 tbsp Roasted Almonds
Instructions
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients:
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice on an angle, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Remove and discard the stems of the collard greens; thinly slice the leaves. Place in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Core and medium dice the persimmon. Roughly chop the almonds. Roughly chop the pepper. Thoroughly wash your hands immediately after handling.
Make the collard green rice:
In a medium pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced white bottoms of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 1 ½ cups of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, place the sliced collard greens on top of the rice. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook 19 to 21 minutes, or until the collard greens have wilted, the water has been absorbed, and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and stir to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Marinate the persimmon:
While the rice and collard greens cook, in a bowl, combine the diced persimmon, sugar, vinegar, and as much of the chopped pepper as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Prepare & bake the fish:
While the persimmon marinates, line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Cut the butter into four equal-sized pieces. Place half the butter on the sheet pan. Place the spice blend on a plate. Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper on both sides. Thoroughly coat the seasoned fillets in the spice blend (tapping off any excess). Place each coated fillet on top of a piece of butter. Top the fillets with the remaining butter. Bake 11 to 13 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through. Remove from the oven.
Serve your dish:
Serve the baked fish fillets with the collard green rice. Top the fish with any melted butter from the sheet pan, the marinated persimmon (including any marinating liquid), and the chopped almonds. Garnish with the sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!