Blackened Fish With Peach Salsa

This blackened fish is a nod to my southern roots. I’m from the gulf coast of Florida, so growing up we always had fish that we would season with a spice rub of some sort. I also lived in Georgia for a few years, so the peaches add to the southern flair, as does the blackening cooking technique which originated in Louisiana. There is no doubt that this Blackened Fish With Peach Salsa recipe is southern through-and-through.

I am all about cooking with a mixture of textures and flavors and this recipe speaks to that. The delicate fish counterbalances the texture of the chopped fruit in the salsa. The spice rub on the fish also gives it a little attitude of heat while the peach mixture offers cool, refreshing flavor. The two really pair well together and provide a flavorful bite.

The Peach Salsa

This is one of those recipes best made when the ingredients are in-season. Not only are they usually less expensive, they just taste better. Not to mention, cooking seasonal recipes gives you something to look forward to – like the arrival of spring and summer.

Use three fresh ripe peaches for the salsa. Slice and then dice them using a 4″ Gourmet Paring Knife.

If the peaches aren’t quite ripe, you can grill them to soften them up a bit which will also deepen their flavor. You could also use mango or nectarines in place of the peaches, if you’d like.

Continue prepping the ingredients for the peach salsa by seeding and dicing a couple of plum tomatoes, using a Cutco Santoku-Style Trimmer.

Slice the scallions and then mince some garlic cloves with a 7-5/8″ Petite Chef knife.

Use the same knife to chop some basil and cilantro for the salsa.

Now prep the chopped jalapeño, lime zest and lime juice. Grab some honey, salt and pepper, and then toss all of the salsa ingredients together. Let the salsa sit for at least an hour for the flavors to blend before serving.

The Fish

I used cod this for the recipe this time around, but you can use any thick, hardy fish. I love using salmon too, and something like swordfish or mahi mahi would also work well.

The key to this blackened fish is the flavorful spice rub and the hot pan. To make the rub, mix together a blackened seasoning rub of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, red chili flakes, dried oregano, dried thyme, sea salt and black pepper.

When heating the sauté pan, take note of the type of oil you’re using. Make sure it’s a neutral oil that can handle the heat, like grapeseed or canola oil, because you have to get the pan hot. Add the oil to the pan and heat it to a medium-high temperature.

While the pan is heating, rub the fish liberally with the seasoning blend.

Add two pieces of fish to the pan, but don’t overcrowd them, and cook for four to five minutes and then flip to cook another four to five minutes.

Remove the fish from the pan, top with the peach salsa and serve immediately.

With one bite of this Blackened Fish With Peach Salsa you’ll get some heat and some sweet from the true southern flavors that are hard to resist.