Article by Christine Budd
Mahi Bites
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. Creole seasoning
4-5 mahi fillets – thawed
1 cup cooking oil
Directions:
In a small bowl, add the eggs, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine.
In another small bowl, add the panko bread crumbs and Creole seasoning and stir to combine.
Using a knife, cut the fillets into 1-inch chunks.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Working one chunk at a time, dip the fillet pieces into the whisked egg, then into the bread crumb mixture, then add to the hot oil.
Cook for about 1-2 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Remove once they’re golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 137 degrees.
Serve with tarter sauce or your favorite fish dipping sauce.
Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl
Ingredients:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 pound ahi tuna, cubed
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir to coat the tuna with the sauce ingredients.
Cover and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Serve over rice and top with extra green onions and sesame seeds.
Oven Baked Weakfish
Ingredients:
2 weakfish fillets (4 oz. each)
Handful of cherry tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
¼ cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil (or olive oil spray)
1/2 lemon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Rinse and pat dry weakfish fillets. Brush baking dish with olive oil and place fillets on top. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and white pepper.
Arrange cherry tomatoes around the fish. Add dill and green onions on top of the fish. Thinly slice lemon and place on top of fillets.
Bake for 15 minutes and serve.
Notes:
To prevent fish from curling up, make little slits in the skin or cook fillets skin side down.
Internal temperature of all the way cooked fish is 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Use instant meat thermometer to check it or just make sure weakfish is flaky and opaque in color before taking a bite.
Squeeze lemon juice on the fish before baking for more intense lemon flavor.
Roasted Tilefish over Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter, melted, plus more for dish
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
16 Kalamata olives, pitted
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 tilefish fillets (12 ounces each)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Sprinkle bottom of dish with salt and pepper; set aside. Finely chop 12 olives, and thinly slice remaining 4; reserve separately.
Slice potatoes very thinly (about 1/16 inch thick) with a mandoline or sharp knife. Arrange one-third of potatoes in buttered dish, overlapping slightly. Brush with melted butter; season with salt and pepper. Scatter 1/3 of garlic and half of the chopped olives on top. Repeat process to make another layer. Top with remaining potatoes; brush with melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside remaining garlic and butter.
Tightly cover with foil. Roast until potatoes just begin to color, 16 to 18 minutes. Remove foil; roast until edges are pale golden, about 10 minutes more. Meanwhile, skin fillets if necessary; halve crosswise. Stir together reserved garlic and melted butter in a large dish. Dip fillets in mixture; season with salt and pepper.
As soon as potatoes come out of oven, place fillets on top. Roast until fillets are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Scatter olive slices and parsley on top.
Baked Redfish Fillets
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds redfish fillets, about 1/2-inch thickness, thawed if frozen
1/4 cup butter melted, plus more for the baking dish
2 tablespoons lemon juice, about 1 small to medium lemon
2 teaspoons finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges
Rémoulade sauce
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Lightly butter a shallow baking dish that is large enough to hold the fish fillets in a single layer.
Pat the fish fillets with paper towels to dry.
Arrange the fillets in a single layer in the prepared baking dish skin-side down (if there is skin on the fillets).
In a cup or small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup of melted butter with the lemon juice, onion, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Pour the butter and seasoning mixture over the fillets.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 145 F/63 C. The fish should flake easily with a fork when done.
Serve the redfish with lemon wedges and rémoulade sauce, if desired.
Grilled Whole Mackerel with Lemon, Oregano and Olives
Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives cut into slivers
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano plus 6 large sprigs
1 (3 1/4 to 3 1/2 lbs.) cleaned, whole Spanish mackerel or bluefish, with head and tail
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 (1/4-inch-thick) lemon slices
Special Equipment:
22-inch grill & kitchen string
Directions:
Whisk together zest, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste, then add olive oil in a stream, whisking until combined well. Whisk in olives and chopped oregano.
Make 1-inch-long slits at 2-inch intervals down middle of fish on both sides with a sharp paring knife, then brush fish all over with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Season fish cavity with salt and pepper, then evenly distribute 3 lemon rounds and 3 oregano sprigs in cavity. Close cavity, then evenly arrange remaining 3 lemon rounds and 3 oregano sprigs on top of fish and tie fish closed with string at 2-inch intervals, securing lemon slices and oregano sprigs to fish.
Prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate.
Grill fish on lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using gas grill, 15 minutes. Turn fish over using a metal spatula and tongs, then grill until just cooked through, about 15 minutes more.
Transfer fish to a large platter using 2 metal spatulas, then cut and discard string. Serve fish with sauce.
Notes:
If you aren’t able to grill outdoors, whole fish can be roasted on an oiled 17 x 14” large baking sheet in middle of a preheated 425°F oven, without turning until just cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
If fish extends beyond baking sheet, fold up two 12-inch-long pieces of foil and put under head and tail to extend baking surface.
If fish tail begins to brown too much on the grill or in oven, loosely wrap with a small sheet of foil. §
