Blackened Redfish

Crab and Parsnip Ècrasè, Chicories, Parsnips, Smoked Garlic, Dashi Butter Sauce, White Balsamic

Chef Ryan Hacker of Brennan’s | New Orleans

---

Adapted by StarChefs | September 2022

INGREDIENTS:

White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
Yield: 375 milliliters
250 milliliters Sicilian olive oil
125 milliliters white balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt

Blackening Spice:
Yield: 2 cups
½ pound leek tops, cleaned
2 bunches scallions
¼ cup sea salt
1 ½ tablespoons black pepper
2 ½ tablespoons white pepper
2 ½ tablespoons garlic powder
2 ½ tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons paprika

Scallion Oil:
Yield: 1 cup
4 cups sliced scallions
1 ½ cups grapeseed oil

Scallion Mayonnaise:
Yield: 1 cup
1 egg yolk
25 grams lemon juice
5 grams Dijon mustard
Salt

Pickled Parsnips:
Yield: 8 ounces
1 ½ cups Kikkoman rice vinegar
½ cup sugar
½ tablespoon salt
½ pound parsnips, peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes

Crab Dashi:
Yield: 3 quarts
24 ounces blue crab bodies
40 grams kombu
55 grams bonito flakes
Salt

Roasted Parsnips:
Yield: 425 to 450 grams
500 grams parsnips
Salt

Crab Dashi Butter Sauce:
Yield: 3 cups
100 grams heavy cream
24 grams lemon juice
350 grams cold butter, diced
16 grams hydrated xanthan gum
10 grams salt

Crab-Parsnip Écrasé:
Yield: 8 servings
90 grams butter
5 grams finely chopped parsley
100 grams blue crab claw meat
Salt

Smoked Garlic Purée:
Yield: 2 cups
250 grams garlic, peeled
1 liter milk, plus more as needed

Fried Parsnip:
Oil for deep frying
1 parsnip, peeled, halved, then shaved into thin strips
Salt

Chicory Salad:
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
1 bunch chives, cut into 1-inch batons
1 head Belgian endive, trimmed into 2-inch spears
1 head blonde frisée, picked, green and white parts removed
Salt

Blackened Redfish:
Yield: 1 serving
One 150-gram redfish fillet
Kosher salt
50 grams clarified butter

METHOD:

For the White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
In a mixing bowl, whisk to combine olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt. Set aside.

For the Blackening Spice:
Prepare and heat a grill. Heat oven to 500°F. Grill leek tops and scallions until thoroughly charred. Transfer to a sheet tray. Place in the oven and roast until burnt through. Let cool. Add burnt leeks and scallions to a Vitamix blender, then grind until smooth. Sift through a tamis into a bowl or container. Mix to combine with all remaining ingredients. Reserve.

For the Scallion Oil:
In a Vitamix blender, combine scallions and grapeseed oil. Blend until well combined. Transfer to a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 215°F. Pour into a mixing bowl set over an ice bath, then continue whisking until cool. Strain through a coffee filter. Reserve.

For the Scallion Mayonnaise:
In a food processor, blend to combine egg yolk, lemon, and mustard. While blending, slowly stream in 190 grams Scallion Oil until emulsified. Season with salt. Transfer to a squeeze bottle. Refrigerate until needed.

For the Pickled Parsnips:
In a pot, combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer. Place parsnips in a nonreactive container. Pour hot brine over parsnips. Let cool completely. Refrigerate.

For the Crab Dashi:
In a medium-sized pot, cover crab bodies and kombu with 3 quarts water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Let steep 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add bonito. Let sit 30 minutes. Strain through a chinois into a nonreactive container. Season with salt. Refrigerate until needed. 

For the Roasted Parsnips:
Heat oven to 350°F. Season parsnips with salt, then individually wrap them with foil. Roast 30 minutes or until al dente. Let cool. Peel parsnips, then roughly dice. Set aside.

For the Crab Dashi Butter Sauce:
In a sauce pot, combine cream, lemon, and 200 grams Crab Dashi. Bring to a simmer. Whisk in butter, a little at a time, until emulsified. Whisk in xanthan gum. Transfer to Vitamix blender, then blend until smooth. Season with salt. Keep warm.

For the Crab-Parsnip Écrasé:
In a pot over medium heat, bring 100 grams Crab Dashi to a simmer. Add butter and 500 grams Roasted Parsnips. Crush parsnips against the side of the pot until evenly crumbled. Fold in parsley and crab meat until fully incorporated. Season with salt. Keep warm.

For the Smoked Garlic Purée:
Prepare and heat a smoker to 300°F. In a pot, cover garlic with water. Bring to a boil. Drain out water, then refill with fresh, cold water. Repeat twice more. After draining the last time, cover garlic with milk. Place in the smoker, uncovered. Smoke until cooked through. Strain garlic through a chinois, then transfer solids to a Vitamix blender. Purée until smooth, adding enough milk to reach desired consistency. Keep warm.

For the Fried Parsnip:
In a deep fryer, heat oil to 325°F. In a large bowl, cover parsnips with hot water. Allow to soak 5 minutes. Drain parsnips, then pat dry. Place in the deep fryer and fry until crispy. Transfer fried parsnips to a wire rack to drain. Season with salt. Set aside.

For the Chicory Salad:
In a mixing bowl, combine chives and chicories. Season with White Balsamic Vinaigrette and salt. Toss until evenly coated. Set aside.

For the Blackened Redfish:
Heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 140°F. Season redfish with salt. In a vacuum bag, add clarified butter and seasoned redfish. Place vacuum bag in immersion circulator so that air can escape through the opening, and clip the top of the bag to the side of the bath. Cook 10 to 12 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillet. Remove redfish from bag and place on a roasting rack to drain. Dust with Blackening Spice so that the top of the fillet is completely black. Using a torch, evenly char the Blackening Spice until it glows like embers.

To Assemble and Serve:
Place a spoonful of Crab-Parsnip Écrasé on the right side of a serving plate, then top with Blackened Redfish. Squeeze Scallion Mayonnaise over the Blackened Redfish in a zig-zag pattern. Randomly place 3 to 4 pieces Pickled Parsnips over the Scallion Mayonnaise. Arrange some Chicory Salad along the top of the Blackened Redfish, then top the salad with a few pieces Fried Parsnip. In the lower left corner of the plate, place a spoonful of Smoked Garlic Purée and dust with Blackening Spice. In the center of the plate, spoon Crab Dashi Butter Sauce and break with Scallion Oil. 

---