Everyone loves to visit the beaches on the Alabama and Florida Gulf Coast a couple of times a year and there’s no shortage of fish restaurants in the area and Blackened Fish Taco Bowls are a local favorite.
Blackening fish is a cooking technique that according to the internet originated with Chef Paul Prudhomme from Louisiana. It involves dredging the food such as chicken or fish in a mixture of herbs and spices and then cooking it in butter, usually in a hot cast iron skillet. I didn’t use butter of course, just some olive oil and got the same effect.
It produces a lovely seared effect on the surface of the food that’s not burnt although it may look like that. The trick is to cook it in a medium hot cast iron skillet, if your skillet is too hot you run the risk of burning it.  Tilapia fillets are used here for the fish taco bowls but you can use any firm fleshed white fish or even shrimp for this. Optional toppings include cheese or sour cream and you can choose vegan versions if you can’t tolerate dairy, or just leave them out.
Blackened Fish Taco Bowls
Ingredients
- 4 white fish fillets (Tilapia works well)
For Blackening Seasoning:
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tbsp ancho chile powder
- ½ tsp dry mustard powder
- ¼ – ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For Bowl Mix:
- red cabbage, shredded, about a handful.
- 1 cup frozen corn, (or fresh!)
- 1 cup black beans, drained
- 4 salad onions, sliced
- 1 avocado, cut into small pieces
- 2 limes, quartered, to serve
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream
- Low fat shredded cheese
- Cilantro
Instructions
Step 1: In a small bowl mix together all the spices and seasonings listed above.
Step 2: Rub the spice mix over both sides of the fish fillets
Step 3: Heat a cast iron skillet on high heat until hot and add the oil, give it a minute to heat the oil.
Step 4: Add the fish to the skillet and cook for 3-4 mins per side on a medium heat until it’s cooked through, it will be blackened on the outside, but not burnt.
Step 5: Serve in bowls with the fish and vegetables and beans on top, if you like you can add sour cream and cheese too.
Enjoy!
