Fried fish has always been one of the easiest foods to prepare. Most fish only takes three minutes to fry on each side and can go down with a number of sauces to choose from. What isn't always simple is nailing the spices for the fish. Although one can use almost any seasoning on fish, it's the process of choosing the right combination for that great flavor where things can go wrong.

A popular choice to start with is Blackened Fish. This is pan-fried or grilled fish of choice (trout, salmon, tilapia, etc) flavored with blackened seasoning, a popular Cajun spice blend.

The blend consists of common herbs and seasonings that include thyme, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne. These are all simply thrown into a bowl and whisked together.

Although one can cheat by purchasing pre-made blackened powder mix, most cooks to mix their own as it gives them control over the ratio of spices being combined for the recipe. And in all honesty, it's a pretty easy seasoning to make since most of the ingredients can be combined in equal parts. Hence, newbies should try their hands at some Blackened Fish for a great flavored dish.

Below is a simple recipe for Blackened Fish which will include an even simpler Butter Lemon sauce to go with it.

Word of advice, when choosing the fish, make sure it still has skin on it so it can hold together. Also, make sure it's boneless.

The recipe

Fish ingredients:

  • 6 (4 oz) trout fillet, boneless
  • Oil as needed

Seasoning ingredients:

  • 6 (4 oz) fish fillets, trout or salmon
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp white pepper

Sauce ingredients:

  • 1/4 stick unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley

The directions

  1. Leave the trout/salmon fillets out to reach room temperature before beginning. Pat each side of the fish with a paper towel to remove any moisture.
  2. Place all of the spices and herbs in a food processor and mix until fully combined. Season each side of the fillets thoroughly with the blackened seasoning mix on a board, patting it down into each surface and rubbing them gently across the surface of the board to mop up any remaining seasoning.
  3. Preheat a skillet over high heat. Heat a few tablespoons of oil for the first batch of fish. More must be added for each batch.
  4. Fry the fillets in batches of two. Hold each fillet by the tail end, then carefully dangle them over the skillet. Slowly lower each fillet down onto the skillet, making sure to not let go until the remaining tail end is close to touching the skillet.
  5. Fry each pair of fillets on each side for about three minutes. Transfer to a plate covered with paper towels to cool.
  6. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan or frying pan over medium heat for three minutes or until it turns brown. Add the lemon juice and chopped parsley and cook for two minutes. Season to taste.
  7. Serve the blackened fish with the sauce poured over it.

Serves: 6
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED