Article by Christine Budd
BAKED MAHI MAHI
Ingredients:
2 lbs. mahi mahi (4 fillets)
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped
Breadcrumbs
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Rinse fish and put in a baking dish. Squeeze lemon juice on fish then sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper.
Mix mayonnaise and chopped onions and spread on fish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake at 425°F for 25 minutes.
Fresh Tuna Burgers with Ginger & Cilantro
Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh sushi-grade tuna fillet
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbs. finely chopped red onion or scallion
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. minced fresh hot green or red chile, such as cayenne or serrano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. canola oil
Directions:
With a very sharp knife, cut the tuna into 1/4-inch dice. Alternatively, cut the tuna into 1-inch chunks and pulse in a food processor until just chopped, about 4 quick pulses. Take care not to overprocess. Gently stir in the cilantro, onion, mayonnaise, ginger, chile, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Shape the tuna into 4 equal 1-inch-thick patties. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes and up to 4 hours.
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tuna burgers until nicely browned on both sides but still pink in the center, 2 to 4 minutes total. Don’t overcook or the burgers will be dry. Serve with Thai-style dipping sauce (see below).
Thai-Style Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2-1/2 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. fish sauce
1-1/2 tsp. rice vinegar
1-1/2 tsp. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. minced fresh hot red or green chile, such as cayenne, Thai bird, or serrano peppers
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let stand at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors develop and blend.
BACON-WRAPPED COBIA FILLETS with ROSEMARY CARAMELIZED ONIONS & ARUGULA
Ingredients:
For Rosemary Caramelized Onions
2 Tbsp. butter
6 medium onions, sliced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely minced
2 Tbsp. organic chicken broth
pinch of sea salt
For Bacon Wrapped Cobia
4– 4oz. cobia fillets (approx. 1/2 inch thickness)
8 slices thick-cut bacon
1/2 tsp. avocado oil
4 cups fresh baby arugula
1 lemon
Directions:
For Rosemary Caramelized Onions
Melt butter in skillet over medium-low heat.
Add onions to skillet and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes and scraping the fond from the bottom of the pan.
Add in the rosemary, stir, and let it cook for another 15-20 minutes.
After the onions are brown and caramelized, add chicken broth and a pinch of salt to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom and gently mix.
Set aside the onions in a bowl.
For Bacon Wrapped Cobia
Rinse and dry the cobia fillets.
Lay out bacon strips in pairs with one slightly overlapping the other.
Place each fillet at the end of each pair of bacon strips and tightly wrap the bacon around the fillets. Tightly enough for the bacon to stay put while cooking but not so tight that you begin to actually stretch the bacon.
Lightly coat a large skillet or sauté pan with avocado oil (I actually use a spray bottle kind) and heat over medium heat.
Once the pan is hot, place the fillets seam side down in the pan and cook for 7 minutes.
Flip the fillets to the other side using a spatula and cook for another 7 minutes.
Now take a couple minutes and carefully brown the other sides of the fillet to get the rest of the bacon crispy before serving.
The total cooking time will be approx. 16-17 minutes for 1/2-inch thick fillets.
Arrange arugula on plates, divide the caramelized onions over the arugula, then place one fillet on top of each.
Squeeze a little lemon juice over the arugula and serve immediately.
Grilled Mahi Mahi with Avocado-Chile Salsa
Ingredients:
For Salsa:
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch chunks
2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 cup minced red onion
1 jalapeño pepper or serrano chile, seeded and minced
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For Mahi:
1 1/2 pounds mahi cut into 4 pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a large, nonreactive bowl (glass, stainless steel, or glazed ceramic), and mix gently with a spoon. Set aside. You can prepare this salsa up to a few hours before serving and store it in the refrigerator in a covered container.
In a deep, nonreactive dish (glass, stainless steel, or glazed ceramic), marinate the fish with the other ingredients for 20-30 minutes before grilling.
Grill over coals or on a grill, or cook under a broiler for 6-8 minutes per side.
Serve the fish with the salsa on top.
Grilled Tuna with Caramelized Onions, Cinnamon & Mint
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
Pinch red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus whole leaves for garnish
4 tuna steaks, 1 1/2-inches thick
2 tablespoon canola oil
Directions:
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the onions, sugar, cinnamon and red pepper flakes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Stir in a few tablespoons of water and the vinegar. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the mint and chopped parsley just before serving.
Heat the grill to high for direct grilling. Brush the tuna on both sides with the canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the tuna until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides and cooked to medium-rare doneness, about 2 minutes each side.
Slice the tuna steaks thickly across the grain and shingle them on a serving platter. Spoon the onion mixture down the center. Keep at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving.
Tips for Marinating Fish
A marinade is a great way to add flavor, keep the fish moist and prevent it from sticking to the grill.
However, whereas beef, especially tough cuts, benefit from long marinating times (often overnight), fish is a different story. Fish is naturally tender and therefore doesn’t need a liquid to break down any fibers and tenderize the flesh. In addition, it does not take very long for the flavors of the marinade to infuse the fish; the firmest fish steaks (such as swordfish) need to sit in the mixture one to two hours while most other types of fish only require 30 minutes.
