Karen’s Cajun- Style Blackened Redfish with Summer Herbs in a Cast Iron Skillet
Jun 01, 2022, Updated Feb 24, 2024
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.
See my Recipe: Karen’s Best Cajun Seasoning Blend
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!
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!
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.”
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
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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.
Equipment
- 1 cast iron skillet 12 - 14"
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.
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 343kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 26gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 136mgSodium: 984mgPotassium: 453mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 857IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 132mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Omg what a fantastic recipe! Have made it many times and wanted to let you know. Have redfish local to me and this is my go to recipe. So simple and delicious. I’m using a salt free Cajun seasoning and hope to make your seasoning soon. Everyone I have served it to loved it. Great dose of garlic and all those herbs.. Charlie
Thank you Charlie! So happy you let me know that this is your go-to recipe! So pleased! Best😀Karen