Redfish On The Halfshell Recipe

Preheat & parboil

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the halved/quartered potatoes in a pot, cover with cold salted water, bring to a simmer and cook until just tender at the edges but not falling apart, about 8–10 minutes. Drain well and let steam-dry in the colander for 2–3 minutes.

Rough up & season

Return the drained potatoes to the pot, shake gently to roughen the edges (this creates crispiness). Toss with duck fat or canola oil, garlic powder, kosher salt and black pepper until evenly coated.

Roast until crisp

Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven 25–30 minutes, turning once halfway, until deep golden and crisp. When done, toss with 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and adjust seasoning to taste. Keep warm while you cook the fish.

Make the deckhand butter

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the unsalted butter gently. Add minced garlic and shallot and cook very briefly (30–45 seconds) just to soften and smell aromatic — do not brown. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, chopped capers, hot sauce if using, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm but do not let it simmer (butter can be kept in a warm water bath).

Prepare the fish

Pat the redfish fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides lightly with remaining kosher salt and black pepper. If you prefer, score the skin lightly with 2 shallow diagonal cuts to help even cooking.

Sear the fillets

Heat a large stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 teaspoon neutral oil and swirl. Place fillets skin-side down and press gently with a spatula for 15 seconds to ensure full skin contact. Cook skin-side down until the skin is crisp and golden and the fish is cooked about two-thirds of the way up the fillet, about 3–5 minutes depending on thickness. Flip and cook the top side for 30–90 seconds to finish (fish should flake easily and reach an internal temp of ~135–140°F for moist doneness).

Finish with deckhand butter

Remove the pan from heat. Spoon generous amounts of the warm deckhand butter over each fillet, allowing the butter to pool on top and around the fish so the capers and minced shallot/garlic distribute. Spoon the pan juices over the fish as well. Keep the fillets warm until plating.

Char the lemons: While the potatoes roast or the fish rests, place lemon halves cut-side down in a hot skillet (or on a very hot grill) for about 1–2 minutes until nicely charred. This mellows the acidity and adds aroma.

Plate: Divide the crispy Brabant potatoes among 4 plates. Place a redfish fillet on each plate (skin-side up or down, as preferred). Spoon any remaining deckhand butter and capers over the fish. Garnish with extra chopped parsley, a sprinkle of capers, a light drizzle of olive oil and place a charred lemon half on each plate.

Serve immediately: Encourage guests to squeeze the charred lemon over the fish just before eating. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.