Blackened redfish is an iconic seafood dish of the south, but it is a relatively new cooking technique. It was created in the early 1980s by Chef Paul Prudhomme at the restaurant Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. Blackening is a cooking technique where food is dipped in melted butter, dredged in a mixture of herbs and spices, then quickly seared in a very hot cast-iron skillet. This is a versatile recipe that can be used with a number of different fish species. For making sliders, I prefer thin fillets from fish like fluke, scup, sea bass, mahi, or even bluefish. Give it a try – you’ll thank me!

Blackened Fish Sliders

• Thin fish fillets cut into 3-ounce portions
• 1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
• Chef Prudhomme’s Blackened Redfish Magic, or:
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Finger rolls
• Lettuce
• American cheese
• Spicy remoulade sauce

Place a large cast-iron skillet on high heat until it’s super-hot, about 10 minutes. Be warned that things will get smoky, so crank up the exhaust fan and disable your smoke detectors!

Next, dip each fillet in the melted butter. Roll the filets in the spice mixture until well-coated on both sides.

When the skillet is heated, carefully place the fillets inside, being careful not to crowd them, and stand back! Now, top each fillet with a spoonful of melted butter, which will really get things cracking. Cook, uncovered, until the underside is blackened (but not burnt!), about 2 minutes. Flip the fillets and again add a bit more butter on top. Cook until done, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to warmed plates.

If you’re cooking more than one batch, make sure to wipe out the pan before adding more fish.

Now it’s time to assemble some tasty sandwiches. I like to toast the rolls, cut side down, in a frying pan with a little butter until the bread is slightly toasted. Start with a layer of lettuce (this will help prevent the bottom bun from getting soggy), then the fish, and top it off with a piece of cheese, and a dollop of spicy remoulade sauce. So good!

Spicy Remoulade Sauce

This is my go-to sauce for pretty much any fish sandwich. It also makes a mighty fine dipping sauce for fried seafood.

• 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup stone-ground mustard
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1 tablespoon pickle juice
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon horseradish
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Chill until ready to serve.

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