Blackened Catfish with Creole Lentils and Charred Okra

Name: Blackened Catfish with Creole Lentils and Charred Okra
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Southern US
Ingredients: 1.5 lb catfish fillets; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp smoked paprika; 2 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp dried oregano; 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup green or brown lentils (dry); 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 small yellow onion; 1 cup red bell pepper; 2 clove garlic; 3 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock; 1 leaf bay leaf; 1 tsp Creole or Cajun seasoning; 1 tsp kosher salt; 12 oz fresh okra; 1 tbsp olive oil; 0.5 tsp Creole or Cajun seasoning; 0.25 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 medium lemon; 2 tbsp fresh parsley; 1 tbsp olive oil

A protein-forward Southern plate: spicy blackened catfish over a hearty Creole-seasoned lentil base with charred okra. Lean fish plus lentils give concentrated protein for training fuel while keeping flavors true to the Gulf/South.

AI image

50 min

start to finish

20 min

hands on

Some skill

difficulty

servings

4 servings

Ingredients

For the fish

1½ lb catfish filletsabout 4 fillets, 5–6 oz each, patted dry
1 tbsp olive oilto brush fillets

For the lentils

1 cup green or brown lentils (dry)rinsed and picked over
1 tbsp olive oilfor sautéing
1 small yellow onionabout 1 cup diced
1 cup red bell pepperdiced
2 clove garlicminced
3 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
1 leaf bay leaf
1 tsp Creole or Cajun seasoningstore-bought or use extra blackening rub
1 tsp kosher salt

For the okra

12 oz fresh okratrimmed and halved lengthwise
1 tbsp olive oilfor tossing
½ tsp Creole or Cajun seasoning
¼ tsp kosher salt

To finish

½ medium lemonhalved, for juice
2 tbsp fresh parsleychopped
1 tbsp olive oiloptional drizzle

Contains fish. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Roughly, per serving

480 kcal44g protein45g carbs14g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

Rinse the dry lentils under cold water and pick out any small stones or debris.
Mix the blackening rub ingredients (smoked paprika through black pepper) in a small bowl until uniform.
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add the diced onion to the saucepan and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally.
Add the minced garlic and diced red bell pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the rinsed lentils, 3 cups stock, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.
Simmer the lentils uncovered until just tender and most liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.
If they dry before tender, add up to 1/2 cup more stock or water.
Toss the trimmed, halved okra with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt on a rimmed baking sheet.
Spread the okra in a single layer and roast in the preheated oven until edges are charred and tender.
Brush each catfish fillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and press the blackening rub onto both sides so they are evenly coated.
Heat a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering and very hot.
Add a thin film of oil to the skillet, place the fillets in the pan without crowding, and sear until a dark crust forms; flip and cook until the fish flakes easily.
Work in batches if the pan gets crowded — a hot pan is essential for a good blackened crust.
Remove the fish from the skillet and let rest briefly on a plate for about 2 minutes.
Discard the bay leaf from the lentils, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed, then stir in half the chopped parsley and the juice of half a lemon.
Divide the lentils between four plates, top each with a seared catfish fillet and a portion of charred okra, drizzle with up to 1 tablespoon olive oil if desired, sprinkle remaining parsley over the top and serve with lemon halves.

Worth knowing

If you can't find catfish, use another firm white fish (tilapia, mahi-mahi) but reduce cook time for thinner fillets.
To make this ahead: cook the lentils and roast the okra up to 2 days in advance and rewarm gently; sear the fish just before serving for best texture.
Adjust heat by changing the cayenne amount in the rub or by using only paprika for a milder crust.
Use a splatter screen and open a window when blackening—high heat and spices can smoke.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

PescatarianGluten-freeDairy-freeHigh proteinMeal prep

More Southern US cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Southern US cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be pescatarian and gluten-free and dairy-free as listed.