Blackened Fish with Key Lime-Garlic Butter

This is the stuff that dreams are made of. Well. if you dream of fragrant pan-fried fish fillets with a dollop of mouthwatering flavored butter melting on top of its flakey blackened crust. Rockfish is a wonderful Snapper-like fish that has the decency to be available in most fish shops even when Snapper is not. This dish serves 4. 

Ingredients:

1 large rockfish – 4 fillets

Key Lime Garlic Butter:
2 Tbs Nellie and Joe’s Key Lime Juice
2 Tbs butter substitute at room temperature
2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs canola oil

Blackening seasoning:
1 Tbs paprika
2.5 Tbs salt substitute
1 Tbs garlic powder
1 Tbs onion powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Louisiana Blackening Seasoning

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl combine Key Lime juice, butter, cilantro, and garlic cloves. Set aside.
  2. Combine paprika, salt substitute, 1 garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Set aside.
  3. Heat a large cast iron skillet until drops of water dance.
  4. Rub the blackening seasoning all over the rockfish fillets.
  5. Spray the pan with canola spray. Add the fillets to the pan and cook until the spice rub becomes dark and crusty then turn the fillets over to cook the other side.  Cook until fillets flake with gentle pressure – about another 2 minutes.
  6. Transfer the fish to a plate and immediately top each fillet with a bit of flavored butter mixture.
  7. Serve with Lemon wedges and some nice Chenin Blanc