The blackening mix is what I call my "teaspoon of everything" mix. You take one teaspoon, and then add about half your spice cabinet to the bowl. Amazingly enough, it's really tasty and doesn't overwhelm the fish. This is not a burn-your-mouth-out hot blackening mix, you're still going to get the fish flavor in here nicely with this recipe. I'm more about the flavors than I am about dead heat, so it's meant to be flavorful with a definite kick, but not kill-your-tastebuds hot. If you like things hotter, add a tsp or two of cayenne or even a tsp of dried ghost peppers to the mix to kick up the pepper-heat on it.
I served this with slow-cooked collard greens for an AMAZING meal. No really, this one will make your tastebuds stand up and shout. Just fantastic flavors. The only thing I'd caution is that if anyone among your diners doesn't like spicy or hot foods, then blackening is not for them. Just hold a piece of fish in reserve and simply salt and pepper it before pan frying, so that they can have the fish with none of the spices. I personally think they'd be missing out, but to each his own, and this is an easy compromise to make. Blackened fish and grits, though. Trust me, it's MM-mm good.
I should also note: this makes for really spectacular leftovers. So if you're the type with a family that can eat the same meal twice in one week, it's worth doubling this. The fish and grits get better with age, and if you serve them with collards, the collards will too.
Blackened Fish
Blackening Mix:
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ancho chile powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ancho chile powder
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
Fish Fillets:
4 tilapia fillets. completely thawed (Any white fish will do, here. Catfish is great, flounder would be fantastic, whiting would be fine, you could even use salmon or swordfish if you adjust the cooking times for a thicker fish. Tilapia, catfish, or flounder would be my go-to fish for this one, though.)
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Mix all the blackening mix spices together in a small bowl, stirring thoroughly. Yes, it looks like a lot for only 4 tilapia fillets. It's not. Trust me on this. In a wide but shallow dish, coat the tilapia fillets with at least 1 tbsp of the mixture per fillet. Rub it in on both sides. You want a generous coating here, the fish should look like it's turned dark red. Let the fillets sit for 15 minutes while coated as you do other things (like mix up the grits).
After 15 minutes is up, heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan until the oil is hot but not smoking. Drop in two or three fillets (depending on the size of your skillet, don't crowd them), and cook 2-3 minutes per side, or until the fish is white and flaky. The blackening seasonings should turn dark and look a little charred; it's okay, this is desirable. When the fish is finished, use a spatula to remove it from the skillet and sit it on paper towels to absorb any oil, then drop in the next batch of fillets to cook. Tip: if you have someone who doesn't want their fish spicy, cook the non-blackened fillets in the first batch so that the oil won't have seasonings mixed up in it.
When all fish is cooked, serve immediately with creamy grits.
Serves: 4
The creamy grits aren't just good for serving with fish. This is my personal favorite way of making grits, and it's really flexible. If you don't have heavy cream on hand, substitute milk. If you want a little more flavor, grate some cheddar cheese to melt in or add a teaspoon or so of dried basil. This is a really good staple grits recipe, thick and delicious and not-quite-sweet when you taste it. Plus, it goes with EVERYTHING. Collards, spicy stuff, black bean soup, cheese, omelettes, bacon, shrimp, hot hamburger steaks, grilled corn. You really can't go wrong here, it's the kind of 'momma cooked like this' recipe that makes everything good.
Creamy Grits
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup water
1 1/4 cups quick grits
2 tbsp unsalted sweet cream butter
Salt
Pepper
Mix the cream and the water, then bring the mixture to a slow boil. Add the grits slowly, stirring to avoid lumps. Add the butter. Turn the heat down to very low (below a simmer), and stir frequently for 10-15 minutes to allow the grits to thicken. Taste, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Add a little milk if the grits are too stiff when you go to serve them, you want these fairly creamy.
Serves: 4
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