Blackened scallop recipe, Queen Conch Restaurant, Briland, Bahamas…

I’ve always loved “blackened” seafood and chicken when I’ve ordered it in restaurants, the spicy flavor and the nice, crunchy texture concealing the tender meat inside is such a delight for the senses. But it’s not a dish I’d made at home, until last week.

Now I am blackening up a storm!

On our trip I learned just how simple it is to blacken my favorite foods and I can’t believe I’ve never tried this simple technique to spice up meals with ease. The story begins at Queen Conch.

Queen Conch is a quintessential Bahamian restaurant delightfully situated on the water on Harbour Island. As we approached the inviting deck, it was clear the establishment is aptly named.

Throughout the Bahamas, these piles of conch were a familiar sight near restaurants and little conch huts that offer fresh conch salad and other local delights.

Queen Conch is the epitome of the casual lifestyle I love about this island. Everything is spelled out, fresh and absolutely local.

It is a cash only and BYOB establishment. I loved watching the locals {and boaters in the know} strolling in with their glasses of rosé, or half drunk bottles of white in preparation for yet another great meal.

Being “newbies” to the scene, I took the waitresses recommendation and walked to the store across the street to buy a chilled bottle of Pinot Grigio to go with my {#amazing} blackened scallops, served a crunchy coleslaw and a flavorful dirty rice and beans.

We drank our wine out of plastic cups, sat in the covered section under the deck and hoped for a storm to roll by. I couldn’t have been happier.

This is truly my favorite type of meal, I call it “elegant food in a rustic setting”…. no frills or pretense, but tons of authentic atmosphere, a fun, relaxed spirit, and delicious, quality cuisine.

A couple of days before, my #1 son got the thrill of his year when he caught this beautiful, massive Wahoo. It almost didn’t look real, because it was so perfect in appearance.

Look at these amazing shades of blue that ran the length of his shimmery body.

But this was not a trophy hunt, we eat what we catch. After filleting his fish, he turned it over to the wonderful, creative chef we had on board, Andy. We knew it was in good hands.

The first night he prepared sashimi {Ono}, absolutely delightful.

Later in the trip, he lifted the veil of mystery for me on the wonders of blackened food, the simplicity and the perfection.

Blackened Fish

by Chef Andy

Here is what you need:

Fish

Paul Prudhomme Blacken Seasoning

Olive oil

Hot Pan

A lot of Chefs use a Cast Iron Pan

I use a non-stick

Here’s what you do:

Coat Fish in Olive oil or Butter

Dredge in Blacken Seasoning

Fry till Almost Done- Fish can Dry Out Fast…and They Continue Cooking Once you Take it out of the Pan

If Thick Fish…I Fry the Fish…and Finish them in the oven…

(sic)

On a drizzly night back in the PNW I decided to try to bring some of that Bahamian warmth and spice home. I took a look at Paul and Tom’s recipes and realized I had most of the spices in my drawer. This is definitely the type of recipe that is open to improvisation. To a tablespoons of Old Bay Rub for Seafood I added a teaspoon each of: cayenne, dried thyme, dried oregano, paprika, brown sugar, ground chili peppers and dry mustard.

I tossed the scallops in olive oil and then my spice mix.

Next I turned the overhead fan and the heat beneath my iron pan up to high.

I drizzled the pan with olive oil and when it started smoking I placed the scallops in the pan. After a couple of minutes the first side started blackening, I used tongs to turn them over and blackened the other side. In a matter of minutes they were perfectly done, spunky, crunchy and flavorful on the outside; inside the scallops were tender, creamy and fresh tasting, what a marvelous contrast for the mouth and taste buds.

Buying tip: it’s always best to buy seafood frozen and thaw it yourself. Most of the seafood you find in the seafood counter was frozen at sea and then thawed by the fish monger…. the problem with this is that you have no idea when they brought it out of the freezer. If you thaw it yourself you can ensure the fish is much fresher tasting. If you must buy it thawed, ask for a sniff before they wrap it up, if the smell is off at all, make another selection.

The next chapter of this story was up on Orcas Island where Mr. Splendid and I went for the weekend. When we stopped at the Orcas Village Store at the ferry landing I found a jar of Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Blackened Seasoning Mix and some plump pork chops and dinner was nearly on the table.

I covered them in olive oil and liberally sprinkled them with the mix. Mr. Splendid put them on the grill and the rest is history. Yes, they tasted as good as they look. And those blackened potatoes in the back were grilled in foil packages with olive oil and S & P, a toothsome combo of crunchy and tender potato goodness.

The final dish in this book was an easy, satisfying Sunday night supper of a Caesar salad topped with blackened chicken breasts. So simple fast and satisfying.