Photo by Stuart Villanueva

Pair this favorite fish with a spicy side of peas

Along the Gulf Coast, speckled and sand trout can be found from the beach front to the bays, starting early spring through the fall.

Their mild-tasting, soft fillets absorb marinade in only a couple of hours. Marinate overnight for a more intense seasoning flavor.

Cajun-marinated and Fried Gulf Trout

Servings: 4-6

Photo by Stuart Villanueva

INGREDIENTS

Marinade:

3 pounds of trout fillets cut in strips

1 cup water

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ cup Louisiana-style cayenne hot sauce

2 tablespoons Texas Select Seasonings Coastal Seafood seasoning

Dry batter:

2 cups stone ground cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

Texas Select Seasonings Coastal Seafood seasoning

Texas Select Seasonings Jalapeño Garlic Salt

Oil for frying

DIRECTIONS

Whisk all marinade ingredients, pour over fish and rest in the refrigerator for 4 hours, or overnight for intense flavor.

Mix dry ingredients and set aside. After marinating, remove fish from liquid and dust lightly with Coastal Seafood seasoning, then dredge in the dry batter and fry at 350 F until floating and golden brown.

Lightly dust fish after frying with Jalapeño Garlic Salt or sea salt.

Purple Hull Peas with Spicy Tomato Chutney

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

1 pound fresh or frozen peas

6 cups of water (cover peas 2 inches)

2 slices of bacon, cubed

1 tablespoon minced white onion

2 teaspoons Texas Select Seasonings Season All

Cracked black pepper and sea salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Add peas and bacon to a deep pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, then add seasoning, bacon and onion. Cook 30 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add cracked black pepper and sea salt to taste, then cook another 10 minutes, or until peas are tender.

Spicy Tomato Chutney

INGREDIENTS

1 can fire roasted tomatoes (14.5 ounces)

½ cup chopped sweet yellow onion

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

¼ cup minced fresh jalapeño

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 teaspoon garlic powder

¼ cup tomato sauce

½ tablespoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon Texas Select Seasonings Pequin garlic salt (or crushed red pepper and sea salt)

¼ teaspoon cumin

3 tablespoons olive oil

Cracked black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat a cast iron pot then add olive oil. Sauté onion, jalapeño and lime juice 3 to 4 minutes at medium high heat. Add remainder of ingredients, except tomato sauce and cook for 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and continue to cook down until sauce thickens. Be sure to stir often. Once the sauce thickens, remove from heat and stir in tomato sauce. Finish by adding cracked black pepper and sea salt to taste then serve warm over the peas.