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Karen’s Cajun- Style Blackened Redfish with Summer Herbs in a Cast Iron Skillet

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Cajun Seasoning Enlivens Red Fish – Blackened in Minutes in a Cast Iron Skillet. Glazed with a Browned Butter Pan-Sauce with Garlic and Many Summer Herbs.

Cajun Blackened Red Fish with Brown Butter-Garlic Sauce and Summer Herbs
Cajun Blackened Red Fish with Brown Butter-Garlic Sauce and Summer Herbs
See my Recipe: Karen’s Best Cajun Seasoning Blend
Cajun Blackened Red Fish with Brown Butter-Garlic Sauce and Summer Herbs
I use Summer Herbs – whatever is growing I my garden!

MY RECIPE has all the flavor – yet not using all the butter of typical recipes.
Chef Paul, who I have admired, used 2 sticks of butter for a serving of four!

Karen’s Best Cajun Seasoning Blend
Karen’s Best Cajun Seasonings

Making you own seasonings has two advantages!

  • Your ingredients will be freshly ground
  • You can make it salt-free, and add the salt level you wish. MANY seasoning blends have salt as the first and most prominent ingredient, not mine!
Source the freshest Red Fish Fillets - mine from The Local Catch, RI
Source the freshest Red Fish Fillets – mine from The Local Catch, RI

How lucky am I that The Local Catch comes to my local farmers’ market each Saturday in Greenwich, CT with the freshest, just caught fish!
I have visited their facility in Point Judith, RI – “New England’s best seafood: Wild, Local, Natural.”

Blackened Red Fish with Karen’s Best Cajun Seasoning Blend
Blackened Red Fish Fillets with my Cajun Seasonings
Karen's Cajun-Style Blackened Red Fish
Karen’s Cajun-Style Blackened Red Fish – tuck the fish into the pan-sauce

Finishing the Dish:
The fish has been blackened – the butter-garlic sauce has been made – the fish gets tucked into the sauce.
Finishing Touches: A good squirt of fresh lemon juice and a topping of summer herbs – adds lots of flavor without too much butter.

Cook fish thoroughly until it is just opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Overcooking makes it dry and tough.

Some hints and tips for Blackening Fish:
  • Food that is blackened isn’t burnt; it’s simply coated in a special spice blend that takes on a very dark brown, almost black color when cooked in a skillet, on a grill or in an oven.
  • When cooking blackened fish of any kind, I prefer to use a cast-iron skillet because of how evenly it retains heat and how it creates a beautiful crust. If you don’t have one, you can also use a large nonstick skillet.
  • Blackened seasoning is a blend of herbs and spices that tastes savory and spicy. It has garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and cayenne pepper which create a really nice spicy combination.
  • What is the difference between Cajun and Blackened Seasoning? Both are seasoning mixes; however, cajun seasoning generally tends to be spicier. Many variations exists from cook to cook.
  • When cooking in cast iron, a little oil should be added to the pan before adding the food. This prevents the food from sticking and allows for the development of spice layers.
  • MAKE your own Cajun Seasoning for the freshest flavor!
  • Blackening is different from grilling because it does not require an open flame and calls for a specific blend of species and herbs. Blackened food will also have a charred outer layer created by these seasonings, while grilled food will usually be charred in stripes.
Redfish:
  •  Redfish has a mild taste. and a medium-firm texture.
  • Redfish swims as far north as Massachusetts, down the coast to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to northern Mexico.
    Other fish to blacken:  snapper, mahi, grouper, trout or even salmon.
History of “Blackened Redfish”
  •  Chef Paul Prudhomme, owner of K-Paul`s Louisiana Kitchen in the heart of the French Quarter in New Orleans developed the recipe for blackened redfish in his restaurant.
  • It was not in the canon of Cajun cooking – chef Paul made it up!
  • It became his signature dish. Now restaurateurs and home-cooks around the country are using his technique.
  • Prudhomme simply fillets a redfish, a member of the bass family that is abundant in that area, coats it with a mixture of seasonings, then flash-fries it in seconds in a red-hot cast iron skillet. The skin of the fish is charred black, but the inside is moist and perfect.

Enjoy this special dish!
Karen

Cajun Blackened Red Fish with Brown Butter-Garlic Sauce and Summer Herbs

Karen's Cajun- Style Blackened Redfish with Summer Herbs in a Cast Iron Skillet

Cajun Seasoning Enlivens Red Fish - Blackened in Minutes in a Cast Iron Pan. Glazed with a Browned Butter Pan-Sauce with Garlic and Many Summer Herbs.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
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Ingredients

Coating the Red Fish:

  • 8 medium red fish fillets* (about 1.25 - 1.50 pounds) cleaned and dried
  • 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter I use organic
  • 4 teaspoons Karen's Best Cajun Seasonings (see recipe)
  • 1 teaspoons sea salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon neutral oil I use safflower oil; expeller pressed

Finishing the dish:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter add more by tablespoon if you want (I think this is sufficient.)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh garlic peeled and sliced
  • 3 tablespoons fresh summer herbs** small leaves, or torn, or cut
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  • Add the redfish fillets to a large plate to hold. Brush the fillets on both sides with the 2 T. melted butter. Mix Cajun seasonings with salt - add seasonings evenly to both sides of the fillets.
  • Brush cast iron pan with oil. Heat the cast iron skillet over medium high heat - TURN ON YOUR EXAUST FAN!
  • Heat the pan until it is smoking and very hot. Add the fillets to the skillet. Cook until "blackened nicely underneath and quickly our them over with a spatula. Let cook in the second side until well blackened - then remove to a clean plate or baking sheet.
  • Turn heat OFF underneath the pan, and let cool down. When no longer hot but warm - add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. When melted and the sliced garlic and give a big stir. Let the garlic cook and the butter will lightly brown - will cook for about 4 minutes.
  • Add the fillets back into the pan, cover them with the Summer Herbs - baste with the garlic butter from the pan. (Check to make sure the fish flakes and has cooked through.) Pour the fresh lemon juice over the fish.

To Serve:

  • Plate the fish on 4 individual plates - add some lemon wedges or slices. Serve with rice and a green vegetable.

Notes

Karen's Best Cajun Seasonings (see recipe)
Red Fish Fillets:
 My fillets were a medium size; so I'm serving 2 per person. Other firm species of fish you can blacken are: snapper, mahi, grouper, trout or even salmon.
Summer Herbs: I'm using what I am growing ~  Fresh Dill, parsley, basil, thyme, marjoram, oregano and variegated sage. 
This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
COURSE: Main Course
CUISINE: American
KEYWORDS: blackened red fish, Karen's Best Cajun Seasonings, Karen's Cajun- Style Blackened Redfish
Nutrition Facts
Karen's Cajun- Style Blackened Redfish with Summer Herbs in a Cast Iron Skillet
Amount per Serving
Calories
343
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
25
g
38
%
Saturated Fat
 
13
g
81
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
8
g
Cholesterol
 
136
mg
45
%
Sodium
 
984
mg
43
%
Potassium
 
453
mg
13
%
Carbohydrates
 
5
g
2
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
1
g
1
%
Protein
 
26
g
52
%
Vitamin A
 
857
IU
17
%
Vitamin C
 
7
mg
8
%
Calcium
 
132
mg
13
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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