Blackened Catfish over Creamy Cauliflower Grits

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A Delta-style skillet supper built for a cast-iron pan: catfish fillets crusted in smoky homemade blackening spice, seared hard in avocado oil, and served over silky cauliflower "grits" whipped with coconut milk. A pile of vinegary bacon-braised collards goes alongside for that low-and-slow Southern flavor without a grain, bean or drop of dairy in sight.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

• 4 catfish fillets (about 6 oz each)
• 3 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 2 1/2 lb)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3/4 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper

• 5 slices sugar-free uncured bacon, chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 lb collard greens, stems removed and leaves sliced into ribbons
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• sea salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Stir together all the blackening spice ingredients in a small bowl. Pat the catfish fillets completely dry with paper towels, then coat both sides generously with the spice mix, pressing it in. Set on a plate and let sit at room temperature while you cook the greens and grits.
2. Start the collards: cook the chopped bacon in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring, until the fat renders and the bacon is crisp. Add the sliced onion and cook 4 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds more.
3. Add the collard ribbons to the pot in handfuls, tossing until each addition wilts. Pour in 1 cup chicken broth, cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are silky and tender. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and honey, season with salt, and keep warm over the lowest heat.
4. Meanwhile, make the grits: heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add the smashed garlic, and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add the cauliflower florets, coconut milk, 1/2 cup chicken broth, salt and white pepper. Cover and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, until the cauliflower mashes easily against the side of the pan with a spoon.
5. Transfer the cauliflower and all its cooking liquid to a blender or food processor and blend in short pulses until thick and creamy but still slightly grainy like grits, about 20 seconds. Return to the saucepan, taste for salt, and cover to keep warm. If it is looser than you like, simmer uncovered a few minutes, stirring.
6. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, then add 3 tablespoons avocado oil and heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute. Lay in the catfish fillets presentation-side down without crowding (work in two batches if needed) and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, until a dark mahogany crust forms.
7. Flip the fillets carefully with a thin spatula and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until the fish flakes easily at the thickest point and registers 145°F on an instant-read thermometer. Turn on your vent fan; the spices will smoke.
8. Spoon the cauliflower grits into shallow bowls, top each with a blackened fillet, and pile the bacon collards alongside with a spoonful of their pot liquor. Scatter with parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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