Cajun Fish Patties

Cajun Fish Patties

Cajun fish patties include a medley of familiar ingredients and herbs which are common in many foods prepared by the Acadians of South Louisiana. Some of the fish which I have personally used to make these delicious fish patties, besides catfish, include buffalo fish, (I've posted a 3-part instructional video on another site which shows what a buffalo fish looks like and how to go about processing one.)

In addition to buffalo fish, I have also used other kinds of white flesh fish, like garfish, to make my fish patties. Here's a garfish info link if you want to see what they look like in their natural habitat.

I've also used fillets of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white perch and other kinds of fish to make these fish patties... the list goes on.

Once, several years ago when I lived in the Atchafalaya swamp basin in south Louisiana, I made enough of these delicious fish patties to satisfy 8 hungry grown men and a couple puppies. It only took a couple fish, which I had caught earlier that day, to do produce the dinner. Each fish weighed around 10 lbs.

Everyone loved it, too! What was the fish, you ask?

We call the fish 'choupique' (pronounced shoe pick) down south where I was raised, but in other areas of the country it is known by different names... including mudfish, mud pike, dogfish, Grinnell, cypress trout and bowfin.

Did you know that the roe of the bowfin fish produces quality caviar? Yep! Last I heard the roe from this fish was fetching nearly $120 for 16 oz . You can see a picture of it here.

Most folk that I know up here in NE Texas consider some of the above species of fish, like buffalo fish and garfish, as "trash" fish, and find enjoyment in hunting them using fancy bows with tethered arrows designed for bow fishing ... just for the sport of it. Most of the fish which are killed are left behind to decompose.

I bet if they knew how tasty these fish are when prepared the way we Cajuns do it, they would think twice about not including a few for the dinner table.

Hope this helps. Bon appetite!

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. of deboned fish (most kinds of white flesh fish may be used)
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups onions, chopped
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lbs. boiled potatoes, crumbled and slightly mashed
• 3 cups bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup green onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• salt
• black, white and/or red pepper to taste
• a few dashes of Tabascos sauce
• enough oil for frying

Instructions

1. cut fish in small pieces
2. season with salt and ground peppers
3. place fish in pot with 1/2 cup cooking oil
4. cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes at 350°F. 
5. add onion, celery and garlic
6. cook until vegetables are wilted then remove from heat
7. add crumbled mashed potatoes and half the bread crumbs
8. next, add eggs, chopped green onions and parsley
9. mix well.
10. use a large tablespoon to scoop mixture and flatten into round patties
11. coat the fish patties with remaining bread crumbs
12. fry patties in oil at 365 degrees F. for 2 1/2 minutes on each side (or until golden brown)

Serves 8.

Bon jour!
KT