Spicy Blackened Snapper with Green Onion, Garlic, and Crab

So going fishing in the gulf of Mexico is one of my favorite things. I usually go with Getaway Charters in Orange Beach / Gulf Shores and they have one of the best charter experiences out there. I fish for the food, the sport fish are fun too but as a chef, if I can’t eat it it’s not as fun for me. We catch all sorts of snapper out there that has all sorts of different names. Red Snapper is the most obvious but we catch B-Liner, Vermillion, and Black Snapper too in addition to Yellow Fin Tuna, Amber Jack, Mahi Mahi (Dauphin) and Trigger fish with the Big Groupers on the bottom being my favorite of the bunch. 

This recipe works with any white light fresh gulf fish. Snapper, Grouper, Redfish etc.

B-Liner Green Onion Garlic and Crab

Spicy Blackened Snapper with Green Onion, Garlic, and Crab

Prep Time 20 minutes • Total Time .75 hours
Difficulty Level:

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Directions

For the fish:

So start by thawing out your fresh caught and quickly frozen gulf fish. Ok, Ok…. Just use the freshest snapper or grouper you can find with filets no thicker than 3/4 inch. You might need to butterfly or cut thicker fish so that it cooks without using the oven which makes the process quicker. Also, prep all of your ingredients for the onion, garlic, and crab sauté before you begin.

Drain the fish on paper towels after a quick rinse under cold water to remove any scales that may still be hanging on.

Season liberally with Powerful Pepper Company Blackening Seasoning with Pequin Chili Pepper on one side.

Add a pat or two of butter to a hot cast iron skillet and once that all bubbles up and is starting to turn brown add the fish with the seasoned side down to the butter in the skillet. You’ll want to start the onion, garlic and crab sauté at this time as well.

Season the other side of the fish that should now be facing up and sauté until the fish looks about 75% cooked. In other words, the opaque look of the fish will start at the bottom and climb up the fish until the top quarter is the only raw looking part to you.

Flip the fish and cook the other side for about 4-5 minutes more or until the fish flakes easily and is opaque throughout. It doesn’t take long.

Remove from the pan to the plate. Top with the topping and serve immediately.

For the Topping:

We used a Japanese bunching green onion we grow in the front yard but you can use scallions if you cant find larger green onions at the farmers market.

Slice two bunches (or two big Japanese bunching onions) about 1/4 inch thick and mince 3 cloves of garlic. We had leftover crab and you can omit but it was nice. About 2-3 snow crab legs or 1 smallish joint of a king crab should do it.

Then just add some butter to the pan until it starts to bubble and throw in the onions and garlic.

Saute on medium while the fish cooks. About 6-7 minutes

Add the crab just before you pull it and fold in for about a minute until everything is hot.

Set aside until the fish is finished cooking. Ideally that should be at roughly the same time.

Arrange artfully and enjoy!

 

Ingredients

  • Snapper, B-liner, or Grouper Filets about 2 lbs or 4 servings
  • Powerful Pepper Company Blackening Seasoning
  • Butter
  • Green Onions (scallions)
  • Garlic
  • Lump or fresh crab