Blackened Redfish Po' Boy

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch cast iron skillet
• •Propane burner or powerful stove (recommended)
• •Paper towels
• •Pastry brush
• •Sharp serrated knife for bread

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the remoulade

   Combine the mayonnaise, Creole mustard, horseradish, hot sauce, capers, parsley, green onion, garlic, and lemon juice in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and taste it. Adjust the heat and tang to your liking. This sauce should have personality: creamy but with a kick, tangy but not sour. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare everything else. The flavors marry as it sits.

   Make your remoulade the night before if you can. The flavors deepen overnight and the sauce thickens slightly.
2. 2

   Mix the blackening seasoning

   Combine the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, thyme, oregano, black pepper, white pepper, and salt in a shallow dish. Mix thoroughly with your fingers, breaking up any clumps. You want an even blend so every bite of fish tastes the same. Smell it. It should hit you with warmth and earthiness. This is the soul of the dish.

   If you're sensitive to heat, start with one teaspoon of cayenne. You can always add more heat to your remoulade to compensate. That's the bayou way: adjust to your taste.
3. 3

   Prepare the fish

   Pat the redfish fillets completely dry with paper towels. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear. Brush both sides generously with melted butter, then press each fillet firmly into the seasoning blend, coating both sides evenly. The butter helps the spices adhere and creates that characteristic blackened crust. Let the coated fillets rest at room temperature for ten minutes while you heat your skillet.

4. 4

   Heat the cast iron

   Place a large cast iron skillet over high heat for a full ten minutes. I mean screaming hot. The kind of hot where a drop of water vaporizes on contact instantly, not sizzles, vanishes. This is not negotiable. If your pan isn't hot enough, you're pan-frying, not blackening, and you'll end up with steamed fish wearing a sad coat of spices.

   Do this outdoors on a propane burner if you can. At Lagniappe, we had to install industrial ventilation for this dish. Your kitchen will fill with smoke. That's how you know something real is happening.
5. 5

   Blacken the fish

   Add a tablespoon of butter to the screaming-hot skillet. It will smoke immediately. Lay the fish fillets in the pan, presentation side down. Do not move them. You'll hear an aggressive sizzle and see smoke billowing. After two to three minutes, the underside will be dark and crusty. Drizzle another tablespoon of butter over the top of each fillet, then flip. Cook another two to three minutes until the fish is just cooked through and the crust is dark mahogany, almost black in spots. The interior should flake easily but still be moist.

6. 6

   Toast the bread

   Split the French bread loaves lengthwise, leaving one edge attached like a hinge. Brush the cut sides with some of the remaining melted butter. Toast under a broiler or in a hot oven for two minutes until golden and slightly crisp. The bread should crackle when you press it but still have that pillowy interior. Watch it closely because it goes from perfect to burned in seconds.

7. 7

   Assemble the po' boys

   Spread remoulade generously on both cut sides of each toasted loaf. Don't be shy. Layer shredded lettuce on the bottom, followed by tomato slices, then nestle a blackened fillet on top. Add pickle slices if you like them. The cool, crisp vegetables against the hot, spicy fish is what makes a po' boy sing. Close the sandwich gently, pressing just enough to hold everything together. Cut in half on the diagonal and serve immediately while the fish is still warm and the bread still has its crackle.

Chef Tips

• •If you can't find redfish, drum, snapper, or catfish work beautifully. The fish needs to be firm enough to handle the intense heat without falling apart. Whatever you use, make sure it's fresh. Smell it. Good fish smells like the ocean, not like fish.
• •Your cast iron needs to be well-seasoned. A sticky or reactive pan will ruin the crust. If your skillet isn't up to the task, this is your sign to season it properly.
• •The spice blend makes more than you need for four fillets. Store the extra in an airtight jar. Use it on chicken, pork chops, shrimp, anything that wants bold flavor and high heat.
• •Serve these with ice-cold beer or sweet tea. The cold drink against the spicy fish is pure Louisiana pleasure.
• •At Lagniappe, we always offer extra remoulade on the side. Some folks want to drown their po' boy in it. I respect that.

Advance Preparation

• •Remoulade can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated. The flavor actually improves after a day or two.
• •Blackening seasoning can be mixed weeks ahead and stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
• •The fish must be cooked fresh. There is no making this ahead. The magic happens in that moment between skillet and bread.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 600g)