Recipe: Blackened Red Snapper with Grits

Chef Geoffrey Blanchette is Executive Chef with fine dining restaurant Currents in Tarpon Springs. He's sharing his recipe for Blackened Red Snapper with Smoked Gouda Grits and a Mango Salsa and Cajun Aioli.

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Blackened Seasoning

Ingredients

• ½ cup paprika
• 2 tbsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp white pepper
• 2 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp thyme
• 2 tbsp sugar

Directions

1. In mixing bowl, thoroughly combine ingredients until well mixed.
2. Transfer mixed seasoning to airtight container. Store in cool, dry place to maintain freshness.

Mango Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 ripe mango, diced
• ½ cup grape tomatoes, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper (or tri-colored peppers if desired), diced
• ½ red onion, finely diced
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• juice of 1 lime
• salt, to taste

Directions

1. Prepare ingredients by cutting mango into small dice, dicing grape tomatoes, and dicing bell pepper.
2. Finely chop red onion and cilantro.
3. Mince jalapeño and juice lime.
4. In mixing bowl, combine mango, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño.
5. Pour lime juice over mixed ingredients.
6. Season salsa with salt to taste and gently stir to combine.

Cajun Aioli

Ingredients

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1 tsp blackened seasoning
• 1 tbsp Datil pepper sauce

Directions

1. In bowl, combine mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning, blackened seasoning, and Datil pepper sauce.
2. Mix ingredients well until fully incorporated.
3. Store in refrigerator until needed.

Smoked Gouda Grits

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• salt, to taste
• 1 cup grits
• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ cup smoked Gouda, shredded

Directions

1. In pot, bring water to boil.
2. Add salt, then slowly whisk in grits.
3. Reduce heat to low and cook grits, stirring frequently, until tender and water is absorbed.
4. Once grits are cooked, stir in butter until melted.
5. Add Gouda to pot and continue stirring until cheese is fully melted and incorporated into grits.

Red Snapper with Blackened Seasoning

Ingredients

• 4 (6 oz each) red snapper fillets
• ½ cup rice flour
• salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup blackened seasoning (see recipe above)
• oil for frying

Directions

1. Season rice flour with salt and pepper in shallow dish.
2. Dredge red snapper fillets in seasoned rice flour, ensuring both sides are well coated. Set aside for about 5 minutes to allow flour to adhere to fish.
3. Generously sprinkle blackened seasoning on both sides of flour-coated snapper fillets and press seasoning into fish.
4. Preheat cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add enough oil to barely coat bottom of skillet and allow to get very hot.
5. Place  snapper fillets in skillet, skin side up, to blacken one side.
6. Once first side is well blackened, flip fillets to skin side down and continue to cook until fish is fully cooked through.

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