Couvillion Recipe (Creole Courtbouillon) (2024)

What is Couvillion?

Couvillion is thick, tomato-based seafood stew from Louisiana made with lot of seasonings and vegetables. It is a Cajun or Creole version of the French court-bouillon, which is more of a spiced stock used for poaching seafood.

It is sometimes referred to as coubillion, coubion, or simply courtboullion.

It is very much like a Creole Gumbo, though you will find variations depending on the cook and the location it is being served.

In New Orleans, you'll find couvillion served with a whole fish with a similar style sauce.

Couvillion Ingredients

• Fish. Use redfish filletsor other firm white fish, like grouper, snapper, swordfish, halibut. See the recipe notes for options.
• Crawfish. Or use shrimp, or both.
• Cajun Seasonings. Try my homemade Cajun seasoning for serious flavor.
• Vegetable Oil. Or you can use butter.
• All-Purpose Flour. For making the roux.
• Vegetables. Onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. You can add in hotter chilies, if desired.
• Herbs. Fresh thyme and bay leaf.
• Tomatoes. Canned or fresh are both good for this recipe.
• Stock. I prefer seafood stock, though a good chicken stock or vegetable stock will work.
• Hot Sauce. A must!
• For Serving. Fresh chopped parsley or green onion, red pepper flakes, extra hot sauce

How to Make Couvillion - the Recipe Method

Season the Seafood. Cut the fish into bite-sized chunks and set them into a bowl with the shrimp (or crawfish). Season with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasonings and refrigerate until ready to use.

Make a Roux. Make a roux by heating the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven to medium heat. Add the flour and stir to form a slurry. Cook, stirring constantly to keep the roux from burning, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the roux darkens to the color of chocolate.

See my post on How to Make a Roux for further directions.

Cook the Vegetables. Add the onion, peppers and celery. Cook, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes, or until the vegetables soften.

Stir in the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook for 1 minute.

Simmer the Couvillion. Stir in the remaining Cajun seasonings, chopped tomatoes, seafood stock, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally. You can simmer longer if you’d like to continue developing flavor.

Add the Seafood. Increase heat to medium and add the fish and shrimp. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the seafood cooks through, and the fish becomes flaky.

Garnish and Serve. Remove from heat, sprinkle with parsley or green onion (or both), and red chili flakes. Serve.

Recipe Tips & Notes

• The best fish for couvillion is local redfish, or firm white fish like grouper, snapper, swordfish, halibut, or mahi mahi. Catfish is a commonly used fish.
• Add other seafood to your couvillion as desired, like succulent shrimp, tender crab. or plump oysters.

Storage

Couvillion will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Simply warm it in a pot or pan to enjoy again.

You can also freeze it for 2-3 months.

Cookbook Recommendation

If you enjoy Cajun and Creole cuisine, I recommend the following cookbook, which I used to adapt this recipe. It has a lot of great recipes.

• Louisiana Real and Rustic, by Emeril Lagasse (affiliate link, my friends!)

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

• Crawfish Etouffee
• Shrimp and Grits
• Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
• Shrimp Creole
• Jambalaya Recipe
• Cajun Red Beans and Rice
• Creole Chicken
• Chicken Fricassee