Blackened Redfish with Fresh Tomato Sauce

The fish that sparked the craze for blackening that is so popular these days was the humble Redfish. A word of warning – this recipe is best accomplished where the smoke from the searing can be easily vented.

For the sauce:

  • 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • ½ yellow onion, minced
  • 1 tsp. chopped basil
  • 1 tsp. chopped cilantro
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1 dash of hot sauce
  • dash of salt
  • couple of turns on the peppermill

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let sit for at least half an hour at room temperature but 45 minutes to one hour is the best.

  • 4 fillets of Redfish
  • 1 tsp. Cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp. Paprika
  • 1 tsp. Black pepper
  • 1-1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
  • ½ tsp. Thyme
  • ½ tsp. Oregano
  • 6 oz. Butter (1-1/2 sticks)

Begin heating a heavy cast-iron skillet on high. The hotter the pan, the crispier the end product. Combine dry ingredients. Gently melt the butter in a separate pan, reserve more then half for later use. Dip the fillets in 1/3 of the butter, than coat them in the dry mix. Place coated fillets in the screeching hot pan, pouring 1/3 of reserved butter over each. Cook amid rising smoke for just shy of two minutes. Turn and pour the last 1/3 of butter over filets and cook for another short two minutes.

Serve on a bed of yellow rice, or across a grilled polenta cake. Spoon sauce generously on top. Garnish with chopped basil and cilantro and a lime wedge.