I don’t cook fish very often at home. When I do, I usually opt for salmon, and I usually roast it. I decided to try something new this time…
Mahi-mahi has very little fat, so while it is not the best choice to get those omega-3 fatty acids, it is still a great choice for a low-fat, high protein meal.
While I would have preferred to purchase my fish at the farmer’s market, I didn’t get my act together in time this week, so I purchased my fish from Whole Foods. They sell frozen, wild-caught mahi-mahi there, nicely portioned into 2 6-oz fillets. I defrosted them in the fridge overnight on a covered plate.
Pan-searing was a lot easier than I thought it would be. With a hot skillet, the fish was done in about 6-7 minutes. And the best part is that I got nice, golden sear marks.
I ate the fish with some sautéed leeks and a quick fennel orange salad (literally fennel, orange slivers, and a touch of OJ + olive oil/salt/pepper).
I brushed the fish with a little bit of teriyaki sauce that I had leftover from last night’s dinner (I made teriyaki bok choy over brown rice with an egg on top!) . You could also just mix together 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and a little fresh lime juice for a quick savory sauce.
Pan-Seared Mahi-Mahi
Cooking method adapted from Mark Bittman’s Fish
serves 2
2 6-oz fillets mahi-mahi (I cut each fillet in half to have 4 small pieces of fish)
canola or coconut oil
fresh ground pepper
teriyaki sauce (see recipe below)
Make sure the fish fillets are at room temperature and pat them dry with a paper towel. Grind the pepper on both sides of the fillets.
Heat a 12-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet for about 10 minutes, until smoking slightly. Add the oil, and place the peppered fish on the pan. Cook until browned on 1 side, about 3 minutes. Turn, and brown on the other side. Turn off the heat, brush the fish with the teriyaki sauce, and turn the fish in it a few times.
Teriyaki Sauce
recipe from Chloe’s Kitchen
makes a relatively large amount (maybe about a cup?); store in a jar if you have leftover sauce
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
In a medium saucepan, whisk together all of the ingredients. Heat the sauce over medium-high heat, whisking frequently until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture has thickened and big, syrupy bubbles appear on the surface.
Sauteed Leeks
2 large leeks, green parts removed, washed
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt, to taste
Slice the leeks in half lengthwise, and then slice in half again. Chop the leeks into small pieces.
Heat the oil on a skillet. Add the leeks and saute for about 7-10 minutes, until soft and lightly browned. Add salt to taste.
You could even add a little parmesan or some teriyaki for more flavor. I think these leeks would be great on top of a slice of toasted bread, like a crostini.
Tags: dinner, fennel, fish, healthy, leeks, mahi mahi, orange, teriyaki
Figsinmybelly 