BLACKENED CAJUN REDFISH

BLACKENED CAJUN REDFISH

This blackened cajun redfish recipe makes a lot of smoke and choke! Stick the extractor fan on full, open all the windows or cook it outside! It’s worth the effort though, as the flavour is fantastic – sweet and spicy, charred and moist, all at the same time. It’s an iconic Cajun dish that’s just my kind of food. Serve it with any of your favourite barbecue relishes and salads.

INGREDIENTS

SERVES: 6

6 red snapper fillets or dorado fillets, about 250g each, skin on and pin-boned

100g butter, melted

 

For the Cajun rub:

1 tbsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp salt

2 tsp onion powder

1½ tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp freshly ground white pepper

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp dried thyme

METHOD

1: Bring the fish to room temperature. Using a sharp knife, cut a few shallow incisions into the skin of each fillet to help prevent it curling up during cooking. Don’t cut too deeply – you only want to cut into the skin, not the flesh.

2: To make the Cajun rub, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until evenly combined.

3: Brush the fish fillets with the melted butter to coat them all over then lay on a baking tray. Sprinkle over about 3 tbsp of the Cajun rub, gently patting it onto the fillets and making sure they’re evenly covered on both sides. Gently shake off any excess.

4: You will need to cook the fish fillets in batches, to avoid overcrowding the pan. Heat a large, cast-iron skillet or heavy-based frying pan over a high heat until it’s smoking hot.

5: Place a couple of fillets skin side down in the pan. Carefully hold them down by pressing with a fish slice or spatula until they have relaxed and no longer want to curl up. Cook until the skin is very well browned – almost black but not burnt! Depending how hot your pan is, this should take 3–4 minutes. You want the fish to be 90 per cent cooked through.

6: Carefully flip the fillets over with a fish slice and cook the other side for about 2 minutes until crisp. Remove to a plate and keep warm while you cook the rest of the fillets. Serve the fillets as soon as they are all cooked, on warmed plates.

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INGREDIENTS

SERVES: 6

6 red snapper fillets or dorado fillets, about 250g each, skin on and pin-boned

100g butter, melted

 

For the Cajun rub:

1 tbsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp salt

2 tsp onion powder

1½ tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp freshly ground white pepper

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp dried thyme

METHOD

1: Bring the fish to room temperature. Using a sharp knife, cut a few shallow incisions into the skin of each fillet to help prevent it curling up during cooking. Don’t cut too deeply – you only want to cut into the skin, not the flesh.

2: To make the Cajun rub, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until evenly combined.

3: Brush the fish fillets with the melted butter to coat them all over then lay on a baking tray. Sprinkle over about 3 tbsp of the Cajun rub, gently patting it onto the fillets and making sure they’re evenly covered on both sides. Gently shake off any excess.

4: You will need to cook the fish fillets in batches, to avoid overcrowding the pan. Heat a large, cast-iron skillet or heavy-based frying pan over a high heat until it’s smoking hot.

5: Place a couple of fillets skin side down in the pan. Carefully hold them down by pressing with a fish slice or spatula until they have relaxed and no longer want to curl up. Cook until the skin is very well browned – almost black but not burnt! Depending how hot your pan is, this should take 3–4 minutes. You want the fish to be 90 per cent cooked through.

6: Carefully flip the fillets over with a fish slice and cook the other side for about 2 minutes until crisp. Remove to a plate and keep warm while you cook the rest of the fillets. Serve the fillets as soon as they are all cooked, on warmed plates.

Share this Recipe

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Print

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Save this Recipe

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TOM’S TABLE (2015)

The ideal companion for anyone looking for simple everyday recipes with irresistible flavour, perfect for dinner parties or wonderful family meals.

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