Blackene fish is a preparation of fish fillets or steaks. Though often associated with traditional Cajun cuisine, it is in fact a modern invention of chef Paul Prudhomme. It consists of pieces of fish dredged in a mixture of herbs and spices and cooked in an extremely hot cast iron skillet. If cooked properly, it has a brownish-black spice coating (hence the name) and a moist interior. The dredging mixture usually contains some combination of thyme, oregano, chili pepper, peppercorns and salt.