Blackened Fish With Quick Grits
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 1tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2¼teaspoons dried thyme
- 2¼teaspoons dried oregano
- 1½teaspoons garlic powder
- 1½teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
- ½ to 1teaspoon ground cayenne, depending on heat preference
- 4(5 to 6-ounce) skinless white fish fillets, such as snapper, catfish, trout or tilapia
- 1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1tablespoon unsalted butter
- Sliced scallions, for garnish
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- 3½cups low-sodium chicken stock or water
- 1teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more to taste
- 1cup quick-cooking grits
- ½cup whole milk
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1cup grated sharp Cheddar, plus more for garnish
- ½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Fish
For the Cheese Grits
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
508 calories; 20 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 43 grams protein; 1082 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Prepare the fish: In a small bowl, whisk together the sweet paprika, black pepper, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, salt and cayenne. Pat the fish fillets dry, then sprinkle enough seasoning over both sides of the fillets to completely coat. Reserve remaining seasoning for another use. Allow the fish to sit for 15 minutes at room temperature.
- Step 2
While the fish sits, make the cheese grits: Bring the chicken stock and salt to a boil in a large saucepan over high. Add the grits while whisking and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Allow the grits to thicken, about 5 minutes or so, then stir in the milk, butter and cheese. Season with black pepper and more salt to taste. Keep over the lowest heat possible until ready to serve.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, cook the fish: Heat a large cast-iron skillet with the olive oil and butter over medium-high. Add the fish fillets, and cook until the spices are darkened and aromatic, and the fish flakes easily with a fork, 2 to 4 minutes per side.
- Step 4
Divide the grits among serving dishes and nestle the fish on top. Garnish the grits with more shredded cheese and the whole dish with the scallions. Serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing over the fish.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
TYS>ATL>TPA>ATL>LAX>ATL
Not crazy about the quick grits. Since the fish has to sit for 15 minutes anyway, why not start regular grits at the beginning of recipe if you have them. Make a salad while the fish is sitting and the grits are simmering. Then, the grits will finish off while you're cooking the fish. It's seriously will only add 1 minute and lots more flavor - and a salad! I'm southern and a former chef, so all about real grits and making every minute count when I'm cooking. Might not be for everybody. Cheers!
Jan
"No self-respecting southerner uses instant grits. I take pride in my grits." My Cousin Vinny
James
My local fishmonger has a sign on the wall: Tilapia is not seafood
Rosemaryandthegoat
After years, decades of using quick grits, I now only use Carolina stone ground mixed (yellow and white) grits. All the difference in the world.
JenBeee
Texan here who grew up eating grits. There’s a difference between quick grits and instant grits. Instant grits are for camping or emergencies and are prepared like instant soup, by pouring boiling water in and waiting one minute. They’re not great. Quick grits must actually be cooked, and are delicious and creamy. Just a much shorter cooking time than raw grits. So no need to be all precious about it.
jimbellny
Using low sodium chicken stock and salting the grits yourself allows you to control the amount of salt.
Wes
You can get closer to the real thing by cooking with clarified butter--no need for olive oil. After you've coated the fish with the spice mix, melt 6 tbs butter in the microwave. By the time the fish is ready to cook, the fat solids will have collected at the bottom of the dish. Cook using the fat-free butter in the top half of the dish (about 4 tbs), and you will have a smoke-free, all-butter cooking experience. Catfish and similar will cook fine on high heat.
Barbara Blackie
Loved this seasoning on some wonderful halibut we had been gifted. We had regular grits on hand so used those and did not use the chicken stock- just water- in the grits. Quick-sautéed some kale in the same pan as the fish for about a minute with a squeeze of half a lemon to add some greenery - worked great!
ting
Note to commenters that there is a big difference between instant and quick grits! The two are not interchangeable. In my experience quick grits are actually quite yummy and close to regular grits and instant grits are terrible.
William
Southerner here: Tennessean by birth, Mississippian by trade. I’ve grown up with grits and would like to add that quick / instant grits can actually be quite tasty (provided you add enough cream and *butter*) Whole milk is great but half & half works well, too. Happy eating, y’all!
Kathleen
Cooking regular grits or polenta--not quick cooking ones-- in a double boiler is a life-changer, no need to stand and stir. Just throw the liquid, grits and seasoning in, and put it on low heat for 45 minutes. Do it first, then start the other stuff, set the table, pour the drinks, and it's done.
Elle
Because you have better control of the saltiness. Add some, or not, based on your preference.
Nancy P
I agree. And cooking grits is easier than ever once I discovered I could do it in my rice cooker. I bring the water to a boil first (in my electric kettle) than add it to my grits in the rice cooker and let it go for about 20 minutes.
A Smith
Made it, loved it! Make it yourself! Used salmon and it was delicious.
Tobalah
Why use low sodium broth and THEN add salt? Why not use regular broth and no additional salt?
roxana
The grits were okay, but the fish was incredible! I now use this spice blend on fish all the time.
Elisa
I just made the fish and it’s incredible. Only modification was switching out the olive oil to a high temp oil (avo oil). Totally perfect, we gobbled it up
Kitchen Newb
My kids loved this recipe. They wanted me to keep it. I didn't make any changes to the original recipe.
kirstjen
Super easy to make. I have a partner who doesn't like spicy food, and I was worried that he wouldn't like this, but I kept the cayenne pepper very minimal, and this was a hit. A great dinner that can be prepared in about 20-30 minutes by even a novice cook
ci jo mo
I’ve come back to this recipe many times. Not to make it verbatim, but to make variations with a similar blackening seasoning blend. Have made it mainly with snapper and salmon. Tonight we made it with salmon, couscous instead of grits, and asparagus. And comté cheese and white wine on the side. Delish.
Alicia
Delicious. Used trout and made a version of the swiss chard to accompany from this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022941-grits-and-greens. Only change I would make is probably not use cheese in the grits - just didn't need it.
CC in DC
Made this as directed and it was so delicious and effortless! Will definitely make it again.
Mardale Bee
Any advice about using fresh garlic instead of garlic powder?
Bruno
This was quick and very good. Thanks to A Smith for encouraging the use of salmon, which needed slightly longer than the time stated in the recipe. I can't participate in the grits debate, partly because I haven't managed to track down the real thing here in the UK; and, once I have, I'll have nothing to contribute wrt authenticity, etc. Looking forward to having a go.
SusanG
Excellent! Used rainbow trout. Wonderful stone ground local (Wades Mill, Raphine, VA) Bloody Butcher grits that cooked perfectly in the Instant Pot-amazed at how creamy they were with no effort/stirring!
Catriona
Hi I'm British - can you help me with grits? Are they like polenta?
MitMoi
Catriona, yes, poleta would be a great sub for the grits. Grits can be white or yellow - polenta is typically yellow. But texture & taste wise it will be similar.
Bruno
Felicity Cloake has written about the differences between grits and polenta in her 'How to cook the perfect...' column, which is available online.
Stephanie
I make this dish with salmon and use regular polenta cooked in chicken broth and milk, with cheddar cheese stirred in at the end. Delicious!
Joan
Seventy years ago, I started to cook via my grandfather and mother; both were excellent cooks as am I. My maternal grandfather came from a French mother and a Basque father. The oldest of six children, his mother taught him to cook at a young age so he could help her feed the family. Some "old school" is forever, like it or not. Long-cooking grains, grits, polenta, barley, bulgur,oats, etc., will always trump any quick cook grain choice. That said, I cannot wait to make this delicious recipe.
gottlob frege
Less salt in grits! otherwise ausgezeichnet.
Claire
This was great - I made it with locally available steelhead trout instead of a white fish. Served with oven roasted brussel sprouts.
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