If you like fish, then you will love this very simple recipe for blackened tilapia. Before you run out and get the tilapia you need to make sure you have a black iron frying pan and an outdoor grill since this method of cooking produces lots of smoke.
The tilapia I purchase is frozen and each fillet is individually wrapped. If they are frozen you can thaw the fillets by letting them soak in cool water for about 15 minutes before unwrapping them. The seasoning I use is Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Blackened Redfish Magic and it is available at a few popular grocery stores and on their website as well. I’m sure other seasonings will work just as well so feel free to try something different if you can’t find the brand I use.
Remove the thawed fillets from the wrapper and dip each one in a bowl of melted butter or margarine (I use real butter). Sprinkle a generous amount of seasoning on both sides of each fillet and put them in the fridge until you get the grill ready.
Now that you have all the tools and ingredients its time to get cooking! Start by firing up the gas or charcoal grill to about 350 – 400 degrees. The idea here is to get the iron frying pan extremely hot. I usually put a thin layer of olive oil in the pan just to help prevent sticking. Let the pan heat for about 10 minutes to make sure it gets hot enough. Now go get the fillets.
Place two or three fillets in the pan and cook about 1-2 minutes on each side. If the pan is hot enough, it will only take a couple of minutes to completely cook the fish. Serve over long grain rice with your choice of sauce. It may take a little experimenting but I’m sure it will become one of your favorite seafood dishes!