Blackened Fish recipe

This recipe will continue to evolve so if you come up with some new ideas please add those to my comment box below for future reference.

This Meal is a combination of New Orleans style with country cooking!

Blackened Seasoning Ingredients

I like to make my own blackened seasoning so here is how you can prepare it. I added a link as well to the page where you can find this ideal recipe.

• 1 1/2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp garlic power
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp ground dried thyme
• 1 tsp ground black peper
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (I add a little more if you like it spicy)
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano

Mix these ingredients thoroughly and set aside in a container that you can use to sprinkle and store. I keep an old spice container that I can refill seasonings like this blackened seasoning. I also like to double the blackened seasoning recipe to have some ready to go next time I make anything blackened.

Preparing the Basil, garlic red potatoes

A small back of red potatoes will suffice this recipe.

Slice the petite red potatoes in half. Add olive oil until potatoes thoroughly coated not soaking but glazed. Mince the garlic over the potatoes. Sprinkle the dried basil and green onions. I used cooking gloves for this next step. I thoroughly will mix all these ingredients until evenly distributed. If you have stoneware (Pampered Chef) you can mix the ingredients in the pan to coat the bottom of the stoneware. Use foil paper to cover and set aside while you finish the rest of the steps.

Prepare the garlic butter in a separate pan. Add the two tbsp of butter and mince some garlic in the pan. Turn your burner on low-med heat and toast the garlic slightly. Don’t burn them just where they turn slightly brown and remove from heat, set aside.

When ready to cook here is what you do for optimal results.

• Cook at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes covered with foil paper
• When timer sets off uncover and pour the garlic butter over the top and cover it again. Turn the heat down to 250 degrees and give it another 10 minutes or until you achieve your desired tenderness of the potatoes.

Preparing the Sauce

Now the fun starts with the sauce. I start with a nonreactive pan. We have an old fateful that we use for most Cajun cooking. The reason is that nonreactive pans will allow sticking thus rendering a delicious favors to your meal.

Sauce Ingredients and steps to prepare

• 1 lbs of fresh deveined shrimp (we are fortunate that we live by the gulf. I keep in stock gulf shrimp that we usually buy directly off a shrimp boat. Before it makes it to a grocery store).
• 3 or so oz of Blackened seasoning ( at this point I will add some olive oil to the shrimp to coat then mix this seasoning, cover and set aside in your fridge until you need it).
• Three cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp of butter
• 3/4 cup of green onion chopped – chives
• 1/2 cup of shallots
• 3 – 4 tbsp of olive oil
• 6 oz of Blue Crab or any fresh crabmeat will do (most of the time I boil a pack of blue crab and debone it).
• 3/4 cup of fresh sliced mushrooms
• 3/4 – 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup of Asiago cheese ( you will need to monitor the consistency. If you add 1/2 and that makes your sauce consistent then go by taste to determine if you need to add more).
• 3/4 cup of White wine – I buy the least expensive wine for cooking. Smoking Loon Pinot Grigio white wine works great and is inexpensive if you can find it.

Let’s get started, a glass of red wine or your preference is a must have to drink when bringing everything together. It also prepares your palates for all the favors you are about to indulge.

Heat up the nonreactive pan to about 350 degrees. I used a infrared thermometer fairly inexpensive as well. Add the 3 tbsp of olive oil and heat up on a med heat to about 325 degrees.

Add you garlic and shallots and slightly toast (be careful not to burn it). Add your shrimp and slightly cook evenly on both sides (maybe 5 mins total and add a little more olive oil if too dry). Remove the shrimp from the pan then put the pan back onto the fire and heat back up.

Add the green onion and 2 tbsp of butter. As soon as it is all evenly distributed add your white wine. Let simmer on low med for about 5-8 minutes or until you see it reduce down then add heavy whipping cream.

Bring the heat back up on med for about 5 or so minutes. When you see it bubbling add the mushrooms and let simmer. Add the Asiago cheese, shrimp, and crabmeat then bring to a simmer. After a few minutes of simmering I like to taste it and add some cayenne for spicy but this is an option if you like spicy. Remember the blackened seasoning has lots of spice already in it but I like to embellish on my ingredients to taste. After this step is done turn off the burner and set the sauce aside to allow it some time to blend all the flavors. I usually will put a lid on the pan and set it aside.

Preparing the blackened fish

Rinse the fish thoroughly then dry and set on a pan. After the fish is thoroughly dry add olive oil to coat evenly. Sprinkle blackened seasoning to coat even on both sides, cover with saran wrap and set in fridge while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

If you time it right everything should come out around the same time but here is the timeline of events you are about to take on.

• Making the seasoning about 10 mins
• Preparing the red potatoes – 15 mins
• Deveining the shrimp – 20 mins
• Deboning crabs – 1 hour ( I usually do this step way in advance)
• Chopping and preparing all the ingredients 30 mins (I like to set everything in small bowls premixed ready to go)
• Preparing the fish 15 mins (Pangasius – Basa fish is what I recommend because it is really white, flaky and always blackens nicely).
• Cook time for the sauce 25 mins
• Cook time for the potatoes 30 mins
• Blackened fish on the skillet (20 mins 12 mins to heat up and 8 to cook)