AI-generated image
Blackened redfish
Spice-crusted fillets seared in a smoking-hot cast-iron pan
Blackened redfish was the dish that made Cajun cooking famous across America in the 1980s, created in a New Orleans restaurant by a chef from Opelousas. Fillets are dipped in butter, coated thickly in paprika, cayenne, thyme and pepper and seared in a white-hot cast-iron pan, so the spices char into a dark, smoky crust while the fish stays moist. It produces a lot of smoke, so open the windows or cook it outside. Chef's tip: the pan must be heated empty for a full 5 minutes; a lukewarm pan steams the fish instead of blackening it.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (2)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix the 1 tbsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 ½ tsp salt on a plate.
2 minStep 2: Heat a large cast-iron pan over a high heat for 5 minutes, until it is smoking.
5 minStep 3: Dip each 4 redfish, red drum or firm white fish fillets, skinless fillet in the 2 ⅞ oz butter, then press firmly into the spices to coat both sides.
3 minStep 4: Lay the fillets in the dry pan and cook 2 minutes, until the underside is dark and crusty, then turn and spoon a little remaining butter over each. A common mistake is moving them before the crust forms, which tears the fish.
2 minStep 5: Cook 2 minutes more, until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes easily. Serve at once with 4 lemon wedges.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does blackened redfish take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of sweet paprika?
- Smoked paprika, half the amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Singapore chilli crab
Chilli crab was first sold from a pushcart on the Kallang river in the 1950s and is now the dish visitors queue for along Singapore's East Coast seafood strip. Big mud crabs are cut up, wok-fried and simmered in a thick, sweet, tangy and gently hot sauce of chilli, tomato and garlic, which is then silked with beaten egg. Everyone eats with their hands and mops up the sauce with fried or steamed mantou buns. It is a weekend or celebration meal, messy and loud. Buy crabs live or freshly cooked the same day from a fishmonger you trust. Discard any live crab that doesn't move, smells of ammonia or has a cracked, leaking shell. The common mistake is boiling the sauce after adding the egg, which scrambles it into lumps; pour it in a thin stream over a low heat. Chef's tip: ask the fishmonger to clean and quarter the crab for you, and crack each claw lightly with the back of a cleaver so the sauce soaks in.
Singaporean
Barbeque sauce
A quick, tangy barbecue sauce of tomato ketchup, onion, butter, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and lemon, sweetened with sugar and warmed with black pepper and chilli flakes. Keep it warm and serve it with barbecued paneer, vegetable skewers, burgers and corn.
Lemon garlic baked salmon
The easiest way to cook salmon perfectly: a hot oven, a quick lemon-garlic butter and 12 minutes. Serve with new potatoes and greens, or flake it over rice.
