Mealtime Magic: Blackened Tilapia With A Cajun Sauce

Michael Becker / FOX. © 2017 FOX Broadcasting Co.

FOX’s MasterChef Junior which features some incredible young cooks from ages 8-13 from all over the country. You can tune in Thursdays at 8/7c. I have a chance to share a delicious-sounding recipe from Shayne the Train.

Cajun Sauce Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of butter

1 tablespoon of olive oil

¼ cup of diced white onion

¼ cup of diced red bell pepper

¾ cup of diced shrimp or crawfish tails

 1 tablespoon of lemon

¼ cup of white wine

1 cup of heavy cream

1 tablespoon blackening seasoning of choice

 

Fish Ingredients

2 Tilapia Filets

Blackening Seasoning (you can buy blackening seasoning or make your own using the base listed below and adding the seasonings your family enjoys) 

 

Photo by Shayne the Train

Shayne’s Blackening seasoning

Chili powder

Paprika

Cayenne Pepper

 Salt

And a few other secret ingredients that I cannot reveal! 

**You can add the seasonings your family likes and make it your own!

 

Cajun Sauce

Step 1: Coat pan with 1-2 tablespoons of oil on medium heat.   Once it is heated, add your onions and pepper to the saucepan and let is cook until soft, then add the shrimp or crawfish tails.

Step 2: Once the shrimp or crawfish tails are about halfway cooked  (a minute or so) you will add the white wine and deglaze the pan, and you want it to reduce by a little more than half

Step 3: Once the wine is reduced, add your heavy cream and put it on a lower heat and let it thicken

Step 4: Add the tablespoon of blackening seasoning to the sauce add the tablespoon of lemon, and the other tablespoon of butter. Let it melt into the sauce and come together beautifully

 

Cooking the Fish 

Once the sauce is just about finished you can begin the fish.

Step 1:  Place tilapia filets on a plate and put a good amount of the blackening seasoning on both sides of the fish.

Step 2: Melt one of the tablespoons of butter and a tablespoon of the olive oil in a pan.

Step 3: Once the butter is melted and the pan is nice and hot, add the fish cook for about 2-3 minutes a side, depending on thickness.  You will want to keep your eye on it because it does not take long to cook and can burn pretty easily. 

Step 4: Put your blackened tilapia on a plate and put a good amount of your sauce on it and dig in!

This is a dish that is versatile and comes together fairly quickly.  I like to make this for my family on busy nights with a side of green beans sautéed in a pan with a touch of bacon grease and a sprinkle of the Cajun seasoning for added richness and flavor.  I hope you enjoy one of our family’s favorite dinners!