PAUL PRUDHOMME'S BLACKENED REDFISH

Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish image

The chef Paul Prudhomme's recipe for blackened redfish once became a national craze. Mr. Prudhomme dipped redfish fillets in butter, dusted them with ground cayenne and a mix of dried herbs, and seared them in a red-hot iron skillet until a black crust formed. The dish became so popular that the redfish population in the Gulf of Mexico came under threat. You could use fluke, flounder or porgy, instead. Any firm white-fleshed fish will do.

Provided by Molly O'Neill

Categories dinner, easy, quick, main course

Time 25m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon paprika
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, melted
6 skinless redfish, pompano or tilefish fillets, or other firm-fleshed fish, each 8 to 10 ounces and about 1/2 inch thick

Steps:

In a small bowl, combine the paprika, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, thyme and oregano. Mix well. Set aside.
Place a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot, about 10 minutes. It will get smoky, so turn on the exhaust fan and turn off the smoke detector.
Meanwhile, pour 2 tablespoons of melted butter in each of 6 small ramekins; set aside and keep warm. Pour the remaining butter into a shallow bowl. Dip each fillet in the butter so that both sides are well coated. Sprinkle the spice mix generously and evenly on both sides of the fish, patting it on by hand.
When the skillet is heated, place the fillets inside without crowding and top each with 1 teaspoon of melted butter. Cook, uncovered, until the underside looks charred, about 2 minutes. Turn the fillets over and again pour 1 teaspoon of butter on top; cook until done, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to warmed plates and repeat with the remaining fish. Serve immediately, with a ramekin of butter on each plate.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 659, UnsaturatedFat 16 grams, Carbohydrate 2 grams, Fat 51 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 52 grams, SaturatedFat 31 grams, Sodium 731 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 2 grams