How to Make Cajun Blackened Halibut

Making blackened fish requires patience and a little practice. You want the outside to sear to a deep, dark char and the inside to be moist and flaky. This can be done only outdoors or in restaurants with commercial hood vents. This recipe serves about four.

Difficulty:

Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 1 lb. unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dry thyme
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• 4 fish fillets (see Tips)
• Groceries

1. Melt the butter slowly in a small pan over low heat. Melt it completely and the butter will separate. Skim off and discard the foamy white solids that rise to the top, and spoon the clear yellow butterfat in the middle into a small bowl. Discard the milky liquid in the bottom of the pan.

2. Mix all the dry seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl.

3. Trim the fillets so they're 1/2 inch thick and no longer than the skillet.

4. Heat a large cast-iron skillet on an outdoor burner or over an outdoor fire for at least 10 minutes. Leave it over the heat; the skillet cannot be too hot.

5. Brush each fillet generously with some of the clarified butter and season on both sides with the seasoning mix.

6. When the skillet is very, very hot, carefully lay one fillet in the skillet. Be careful, as it's likely to flame up at this point.

7. Spoon a few teaspoons of melted butter over the top of the fish.

8. Cook for about a minute or two, or until the bottom appears charred. Don't let it char too deeply or the fish will taste burned.

9. Flip and cook the other side, again drizzling a little butter over the top.

10. Alternatively, once the "presentation side" has been nicely charred in the skillet, the other side of the fish can be finished on a hot outdoor grill.

11. Repeat with remaining fillets.

Tips & Warnings

• Although halibut is specified in this recipe's title, other white-fleshed fish will work, including snapper and pompano. The dish came to prominence featuring redfish, which works especially well if you can find it.

• This method of cooking fish was popularized by the great Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme. His 1984 book "Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen" remains one of the best books on Louisiana cookery and features several color pages describing his method.

• Only a cast-iron skillet will work for this recipe. Because the skillet gets heated so much, it must be thick and sturdy. Thinner pans won't get hot enough and won't transfer their heat as effectively. The worst part, though, is that the coating on a carefully seasoned pan will burn off. Use only those pans that are in need of reseasoning anyway.

• Burned residue left in the bottom of the pan can be burned away by turning the pan upside down so the cooking surface faces the heat source. Once the pan cools, use steel wool to scrape it clean.

• Only do this outdoors.

• Use only a long-handled metal spatula to lay the fish in the skillet and to turn it.

• Flame-ups are common when making this dish. They won't affect the outcome too much, but keep out of the way to avoid getting burned.