Blackened Redfish with Crawfish Étouffée & Dirty Rice

Name: Blackened Redfish with Crawfish Étouffée & Dirty Rice
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 4 pcs skinless redfish fillets (or red drum/red snapper), approx. 180 g each; 80 g unsalted butter, melted; 1 tbsp smoked paprika; 1 tbsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp cayenne pepper; 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper; 1 tsp white pepper; 1.5 tsp fine sea salt; 340 g cooked peeled crawfish tail meat with fat (thawed if frozen); 60 g unsalted butter; 30 g plain flour; 1 pcs medium yellow onion, finely diced; 1 pcs medium green bell pepper, finely diced; 2 pcs celery ribs, finely diced; 3 clove garlic cloves, minced; 350 ml seafood stock or chicken stock; 1 pcs bay leaf; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper; 0.5 tsp salt; 3 pcs spring onions, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 200 g long-grain white rice, rinsed; 400 ml chicken stock; 150 g minced pork; 100 g chicken livers, trimmed and finely minced

By Culiora

Blackened Redfish with Crawfish Étouffée & Dirty Rice served on a plate, photographed in natural light

A quintessential Louisiana feast pairing iron-seared, spicy redfish fillets with a rich crawfish étouffée over savoury Cajun dirty rice. The deeply browned crust contrasts with the tender fish, while the buttery, aromatics-laden smothering sauce binds the plate together.

Servings: 4
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 85 min

Ingredients

4 pcs skinless redfish fillets (or red drum/red snapper), approx. 180 g each
80 g unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
1.5 tsp fine sea salt
340 g cooked peeled crawfish tail meat with fat (thawed if frozen)
60 g unsalted butter
30 g plain flour
1 pcs medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 pcs medium green bell pepper, finely diced
2 pcs celery ribs, finely diced
3 clove garlic cloves, minced
350 ml seafood stock or chicken stock
1 pcs bay leaf
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
0.5 tsp salt
3 pcs spring onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
200 g long-grain white rice, rinsed
400 ml chicken stock
150 g minced pork
100 g chicken livers, trimmed and finely minced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
0.5 pcs yellow onion, finely minced
0.5 pcs green bell pepper, finely minced
1 pcs celery rib, finely minced
2 clove garlic cloves, minced
0.5 tsp dried thyme
0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
0.5 tsp salt
2 pcs spring onions, thinly sliced
1 pcs lemon, cut into 4 wedges

Instructions

Prepare the blackening spice: In a shallow bowl, whisk together the smoked paprika, sweet paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, black pepper, white pepper, and 1.5 tsp fine sea salt. Set aside.
Make the dirty rice base: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the minced pork and finely minced chicken livers. Cook for 5–6 minutes, breaking the meat apart thoroughly with a wooden spoon until browned.
Finish the dirty rice: Add the minced onion, green bell pepper, celery, and garlic to the meat pan. Sauté over medium heat for 4–5 minutes until soft. Stir in the rinsed long-grain rice, 0.5 tsp dried thyme, 0.5 tsp black pepper, and 0.5 tsp salt. Pour in 400 ml chicken stock, bring to a rolling boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid, lower the heat to gentle simmer, and cook undisturbed for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered.
Cook the étouffée roux: Melt 60 g unsalted butter in a wide skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Whisk in 30 g flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux turns a golden blond-to-peanut-butter hue, about 5–6 minutes.
Build the étouffée sauce: Add the diced yellow onion, green bell pepper, and celery (the Cajun Holy Trinity) to the roux. Cook for 5 minutes until tender. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Gradually pour in 350 ml seafood stock while stirring vigorously to prevent lumps. Add the bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper, and 0.5 tsp salt. Simmer gently on low heat for 12–15 minutes until thickened and glossy.
Add crawfish to étouffée: Stir the crawfish tail meat (along with any packaged tail fat) into the simmering sauce. Cook gently for 4–5 minutes just until heated through. Stir in 3 sliced spring onions and 2 tbsp chopped parsley; taste and adjust seasoning with salt or cayenne if needed. Keep warm on very low heat.
Preheat the skillet for blackening: Heat a dry, heavy 30-cm cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking hot, about 6–8 minutes. Ensure proper ventilation or open a window, as the searing process generates heavy smoke.
Dredge and sear the redfish: Dip each redfish fillet completely into the melted butter (reserving about 4 tsp for drizzling), then dredge both sides generously in the blackening spice mix to coat evenly. Carefully lay two fillets into the smoking cast-iron skillet. Drizzle 1 tsp reserved melted butter over each fillet; sear without moving for 2 to 2.5 minutes until a charred, blackened crust forms. Flip carefully and sear the other side for another 2 minutes until just cooked through (internal temperature 60°C). Transfer to a warm plate and repeat with the remaining two fillets.
Assemble and serve: Fluff the dirty rice with a fork and divide among four wide bowls or plates. Place a blackened redfish fillet atop or alongside the rice. Spoon the rich crawfish étouffée generously over the plate, draping across the fillet. Garnish with additional fresh sliced spring onions and serve immediately with lemon wedges.