Blackened Catfish for the brave

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 fish fillets (catfish fillets) or other firm fish, thickness max. 2 cm
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp paprika powder, sweet
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp thyme, dried
• ½ tsp oregano, dried
• 1 tsp, levelled black pepper from the mill
• 1 tsp, leveled cayenne pepper
• 150 g butter, melted

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 40 minutes

Cajun recipe

This recipe comes from Cajun cuisine and requires a cast-iron pan. You should know how to turn off the smoke detector in the kitchen. Catfish is also sold in Germany as red croaker or catfish. Take the fish out of the refrigerator about an hour before cooking to allow the surface to reach room temperature. If the fish is too cold, the coating will not stick well. Heat a grease-free cast-iron pan over high heat until gray ash particles form in the pan. This process can take up to 20 minutes. Mix the spices and spread them on a plate as a coating. Keep a tight-fitting pan lid within easy reach. You will need the lid in case the butter coating catches on fire in the hot pan. Wash the fish fillets and dry them thoroughly. Toss the fillets in the melted butter and coat them with the spices. Press the coating down lightly. From now on, the fish requires your full attention! When the pan is really hot, cook two fish fillets on each side for no longer than 2 minutes. The breading will turn black and develop a lot of smoke. Fry the next two fish fillets in the same way. The fish will be charred on the outside, but cooked through and very juicy on the inside. Serve with spicy beans, butter and lemon sauce, and cornbread or polenta.