Lote Thistlethwaite loved to hunt and fish, and he also loved to concoct the most tantalizing dishes with his catch. Lote wasn't one to measure, however. An easy-going, carefree character with a keen sense of humor, the Opelousas, Louisiana native cooked instinctively, adding a handful of this and a pinch of that, and the final product defied description.
A U.S. Marine Corps Reserve aviator called back during the Korean War, Lote went down with his plane, but his "recipes" have lived on after him as heirlooms treasured by his friends and their descendants. He had a zest for living that is captured in his culinary creations.
Lote started his recipe for courtbouillon, a rich, savory fish stew, with the usual instruction: "First you make a roux."
"Heat three or four tablespoons of vegetable oil in the pot and add three or four tablespoons of flour. Brown flour and then add three or four onions, two or three cloves of garlic, four stalks of celery, a green pepper, some green onion, and some parsley, all chopped fine.
"Cook until the mixture is limp-limp. Add a can of mashed tomatoes, then a can of tomato sauce. Add some water, then tabasco, salt and red pepper, one third bottle of Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of thyme. Add the juice of one-third lemon. Let the mixture cook down and, about a half hour before serving, add the fish."
When asked to explain the difference between "limp" and "limp-limp," Lote retorted,"If you don't know the difference between 'limp' and 'limp-limp,' you shouldn't be trying to cook!"
What kind of fish should you use? That's up to you. Lote favored catfish and redfish, but cod, walleye, or any similar white flaky fish should do the trick.
Here's Lote's recipe for bouillabaisse:
"After you filet the fish, take the bones and boil them, and save the stock. Take an onion, cut it four ways and put it into the water with thyme, parsley, garlic, and two bay leaves. Mix salt, red pepper, thyme, broken bay leaves, and chopped parsley and rub this seasoning into the fish filets.
"Chop up three onions, three onion tops, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Brown chopped vegetables in three tablespoons of olive oil.
"Add fish. Cook five minutes on each side.
"After cooking, take the fish out and set it on the side. Add the fish stock to the sauce and add a can of mashed tomatoes and one pint of white port wine. Cook down some, then put the fish back in. Cover and cook about twenty minutes longer."
