Food and Recipes Seafood Fish Fish And Grits Be the first to rate & review! Whether served for brunch or dinner, the well-seasoned blackened fish and tender cheesy grits will be a hit. By Jasmine Smith Published on February 16, 2023 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Active Time: 50 mins Total Time: 50 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe You've likely heard of and eaten many plates of shrimp and grits. But that's not the only seafood and grits dish Southerners know and love. Fish and grits is popular, too. This classic Fish And Grits recipe plays up the well-seasoned flavors and textures of blackened fish, but the tilapia remains tender and juicy. If you don't like tilapia, you can just about any white flaky fish fillet. Snapper and red drum would be good options, too. These grits aren't just another bowl of grits. They are tender and toothsome, and they're cooked with stock to deepen the flavor. Sharp Cheddar cheese also intensifies the flavors without overpowering the fish or butting up against the blackened seasoning. If you don't want the cheese, this dish would be delicious without. These Fish And Grits are served with lemon wedges to help brighten up the spices and help to cut the richness from the grits. The scallions add a nice aromatic flavor, too. What Sides Go With Fish And Grits? This dish could count as a one-bowl dinner, but if you want to round out the table with a few more elements, consider these sides: Old-School Squash Casserole Roasted Green Beans With Spicy-Sweet Glazed Shallots Oven-Roasted Asparagus Arugula Salad With Bacony Croutons And Sherry Vinaigrette The Best Side Salad Recipes Ingredients 4 cups vegetable broth 1 cup water 1 1/4 cup uncooked stone-ground yellow grits 2 fresh bay leaves 1 1/2 Tbsp. paprika 1 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. dried thyme 3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 3 tsp. kosher salt, divided 1 tsp. black pepper, divided 4 (6-oz.) skinless tilapia or snapper fillets, at room temperature 1/4 cup (2 oz.) melted unsalted butter 3 oz. pre-shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (about 3/4 cup) 4 Tbsp. (2 oz.) unsalted butter, divided 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided Thinly sliced scallions Lemon wedges Directions Prepare the grits: Bring stock and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Whisk in grits and bay leaves; cook, whisking constantly, until grits begin to thicken, 2 to 4 minutes. Cover and reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pan to prevent scorching, until grits are tender, softened, and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Mix seasoning for fish, and coat fillets: Meanwhile, stir together paprika, cumin, garlic powder, thyme, cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and 3/4 teaspoon of the black pepper in a medium shallow bowl. Brush both sides of fillets with melted butter (1 tablespoon each) until evenly coated. Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Sprinkle both of fillets with seasoning mixture until evenly coated. Transfer to a plate; set aside at room temperature. Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Add cheese and seasoning to grits. Keep warm: Remove grits from heat, and stir in cheese, 2 tablespoons of the butter, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; remove and discard bay leaves. Cover grits to keep warm, and set aside. Sear fish in cast-iron skillet, and baste with butter: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium. Working in 2 batches, add half of the seasoned fillets; cook, undisturbed, until bottoms of fillets start to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and reduce heat to medium-low. Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Add 1 tablespoon of the butter; cook, basting occasionally with melted butter, until fish is dark brown and flakes easily with a fork, 2 to 3 minutes. Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Transfer fillets to a platter, drizzling pan sauce over top. Tent with aluminum foil to keep warm. Wipe skillet clean, and repeat process with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 2 seasoned fillets, and 1 tablespoon butter. Prepare to serve: Divide grits evenly into 4 shallow bowls; top with blackened fillets, and drizzle pan sauce over fish. Garnish with scallions, and serve with lemon wedges. Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Rate it Print