Blackened White Fish
This Cajun style dish coats fillets of white fish with a cornmeal crust seasoned with a fiery mixture of spices and herbs and the seared over a fierce heat, finished with a squeeze of lemon.
Number of servings : 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes
Type of meal : | Main Courses | Main Courses
Special diet :
Ingredients
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon each of fennel seeds,
dried oregano, and thyme
1⁄2–1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons cornmeal
4 fillets fish, about 6–8oz (170–230g) each (see Cook's Suggestion, below)
3 tablespoons peanut oil
To garnish: 1 lemon
Directions
- Crush the peppercorns and put them into a large bowl. Add the dried herbs, cayenne pepper, and some salt. Peel the garlic and crush it into the bowl, then add the cornmeal and stir thoroughly.
- Skin the fish fillets if necessary, add them to the herb and spice mixture, and press it on firmly to coat them well.
- Heat the peanut oil in a large frying pan until it begins to smoke. Add the fish and fry for 11⁄2 minutes on each side, or until the fillets are lightly browned and cooked through.
- Meanwhile, cut the lemon into wedges. Drain the cooked fish on kitchen paper, then transfer the fillets to a warmed serving dish and garnish with the lemon wedges.
Serving Suggestion: Serve this spicy fish with steamed new potatoes and a green salad. Or continue the Louisiana theme with a Cajun Potato Salad .
Cook’s Suggestion: Any round white fish, such as cod, haddock, halibut, or Boston bluefish is suitable for this dish. As an alternative, you could use either monkfish or shark, but you will have to allow them a little longer to cook—they will each need about 6–8 minutes.
Nutritional information:
