Blackened....or lack thereof

     A popular modern invention of blackening food creates a very complex and intriguing flavor.  The classic way of blackening food is to dredge the item in butter, a mixture of spices and sear hard in a very hot cast iron pan.  There isn't a lot of spices in the mixture so it's easy to mix your only blackening spice and get cooking.  The containers of blackening spices that you can purchase are not a bad choice, its just a bad choice of the cook that doesnt really know what they're doing.
     The inspiration of this entry was a "Blackened Ahi Tuna" dish that I had previously.  The sides that accompanied the Tuna were a good choice and would have matched very well if the Tuna actually had blackening spice on it.  While the spice and proper sear were missing, the texture was great so I can't be that mad.  I really enjoy a piece of fish that's blackened so I just wish that I can help others understand what the real procedure is so they get a superior product on a more regular basis.
     The common mixture of spices are paprika, ground black and white pepper, oregano, thyme, chili pepper flakes, garlic, and salt.  These are common spices found in Cajun cuisine and the ratios that are used are left up to the one cooking.  Personally, I like to balance the earthy with the heat so that you can still enjoy the protein without blowing out your palate.  If properly done and you have a piece of fish sitting in front of you with that nice, crispy shell of blackening spice that breaks into the soft and flaky flesh, it really plays to all senses in both taste and texture.  Butter is always a great choice to pair with fish so dredging first in butter, then crusting with spices definitely adds another element to the experience.
     I believe that I've had only one experience in a restaurant where I ordered a Blackened Salmon and it was actually blackened.  It was very delicious and complex both in aroma and taste and it left me wanting more and more.  So I'm going to leave this somewhat vague to hopefully entice you to go try blackened food for yourself, if you haven't already.