Blackened Flounder with Creamy Polenta and Brussels Sprout Slaw
Main Course,  Salads & Side Dishes,  Seafood

Blackened Flounder & Creamy Polenta {with Brussels Sprout Slaw}

Blackened Flounder with Creamy Polenta and Brussels Sprout Slaw

I’ve had requests for more fish and seafood recipes lately and since there aren’t enough hours in the day and days in the week, we’ll be sharing some recipes from the archives.  Like this beautiful Blackened Flounder with Creamy Polenta.

This might be a good time to give you a quick background on how it came to be that I can’t seem to eat anything without picturing it.  About a year and a half ago, my company decided it was time to have a facebook presence, and so I too bit the bullet and signed up for my own personal page (I was a little behind the times).  One of the first pictures I posted was of a Bodacious Roast Chicken.  I think 10 of my 20 friends at the time responded in some way.  So the next night I posted a picture of the Chicken Enchiladas we made from the leftover chicken, which created a little buzz amongst friends.  On the third day I shared a picture of our Mexican Spaghetti and Meatballs using the homemade enchiladas sauce….by this time I was called out for bragging (in a good way) and it hit me.  Not everyone shares the same passion for cooking that I do.  That’s when I created an album on my personal facebook page called “What’s for Dinner” and posted a picture of dinner every night for almost a year.  I wish there was a way to share a link to that album with you.  The evolution of recipes, plating, and photography is rather fun to see.

When I’d run into friends the first thing they would say is “What’s for Dinner Libby?”  It had become my thing.  I hadn’t ever really thought about starting a blog, since I was mostly intrigued by food pictures and much less about citing a recipe.  But as time went on and my daughter Shelby began to cook and share recipes I realized a blog might be the perfect way to record recipes and an occasional story with her.  As you can see, 451 words later and not even a mention of a Blackened Flounder with Creamy Polenta recipe, I’ve learned to open up some since we began Lemony Thyme back in June.   So while I still cook dinner almost every night I thought it might be fun to go back and share some of my favorites from our What’s for Dinner album archives.

To blacken the flounder, we dusted each side generously with our Cajun rub (garlic powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, ground oregano, brown sugar, and black pepper) and pan sauteed until cooked through.  We served it on a nice bed of Creamy Polenta with a side of Brussels Sprout Slaw.  This meal has the right balance of heat from the blackening seasonings offset by the creamy polenta and cooled slightly with a bite of slaw.  We may have to do more than bring back the ‘picture’ of Blackened Flounder with Creamy Polenta from the archives.

Blackened Flounder with Creamy Polenta and Brussels Sprout Slaw

Blackened Flounder & Creamy Polenta {with Brussels Sprout Slaw}

Libby with Lemony Thyme
This meal has the right balance of heat from the blackening seasonings offset by the creamy polenta and cooled slightly with a bite of slaw.
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Seafood
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

For the blackened flounder…

  • 1 – 1 1/2 lbs. flounder 4 fillets
  • 1/4 cup Cajun rub
  • 2 Tbl. butter
  • 2 Tbl. sunflower or canola oil

For the polenta…

  • 1 cup raw Polenta yellow cornmeal
  • 4 cups chicken broth or water
  • ½ cup cream
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 Tbl. butter
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • Salt
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • 2 cups Brussels Sprout Slaw optional
  • fresh cilantro leaves and thinly sliced scallion for garnish

Instructions
 

For the polenta…

  • Bring chicken stock, cream, and salt to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta and bring mixture back to a boil, stirring constantly.
  • Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 20-25 minutes, stirring often. Add additional tablespoons of broth or water if needed.
  • When polenta is done, stir in butter and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt & cayenne to taste.

For the blackened flounder…

  • Generously coat both sides of flounder fillets with favorite Cajun rub.
  • In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbl. butter and 1 Tbl. oil to high. Add two fillets at a time browning 2-3 minutes per side until fish flakes with a fork. Add additional Tbl. of butter and oil and repeat with remaining fillets.
  • Serve flounder on a bed of creamy polenta. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro leaves and scallions.
  • Delicious with a side of coleslaw.

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