Blackened fish recipe

Well, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife may not be able to open Possession Bar to winter chinook fishing until mid-January. And it may have closed the Methow River to steelhead fishing and the coastal beaches to razor clam digging. But, hey, you may be able to find a squid or two at the Edmonds pier.

Squid don’t fight quite as hard as a king salmon or jump as high as a prime coho, but on the other hand they’re just down the hill, your ACL is safe, and the jigs are cheap.

In lieu of fishing opportunities, and in the spirit of this food-centered holiday, the state’s fisheries managers offer the following free recipe:

Blackened Fish

— Preheat cast iron skillet or griddle, preferably on an outdoor grill, until very hot.

— Find a filet in the freezer of the king you brought back from Sitka or, if you didn’t make it to Sitka this year, you can buy a chunk of keta (dog or chum) salmon at the supermarket.

— Dip thick (at least one-half inch) fillets into melted butter and then into Cajun blackening spice mixture (equal parts black, white and cayenne pepper; paprika; garlic powder;onion powder; oregano; thyme).

— Cook in hot skillet about 2 minutes or until the bottom is near black but not burned.

— Turn fillets, drizzle with more melted butter, continue cooking about two minutes. Serve immediately, with dipping butter.