Mahi Mahi with Cherry Chipotle Beurre Blanc
We’re eating seared mahi mahi served on top of sauteed corn and green beans seasoned with cilantro, lime juice and bacon. The plate was finished with a mildly spicy fresh cherry chipotle beurre blanc.
Both Tyler and I have a weakness for all seafood. If it were more affordable or if we had a fishing rod we would probably eat fish nearly every single day. Fortunately for all of the sea creatures living a couple of blocks from our apartment, we don’t! What we do have is access to several great fish markets. On the way home from work I was able to swing in and pick up a piece of mahi that I was told had been swimming around in the ocean earlier this morning. Now that’s my kind of fresh seafood. 🙂
The mahi was incredibly moist and tender on the inside while still golden and crisp on the outside. Tyler was initially hesitant about the cherry beurre blanc but after he tasted it he said he loved it. While it may look otherwise, the sauce is neither particularly sweet nor spicy. Just a nice balance of fresh fruit, rich butter, lime and vermouth with a hint of smokiness from the chipotle puree. This was definitely a dish we would love to have again!
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1 tbsp shallots, minced
2/3 cup fresh cherries, pitted
juice from 1 lime
1/2 tsp chipotle in adobo puree
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup (1/2 a stick) cold unsalted butter, cut in cubes
Place cherries and lime juice into a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Discard solids and set liquid aside.
Add vermouth and shallot to a small sauce pan over high heat. Reduce until about 1 tbsp of liquid remains, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add cherry-lime juice, chipotle puree and salt to pan. Reduce until syrupy and thick, stirring frequently. Turn off heat. Add one cube of butter at a time, whisking constantly until the cube has been completely incorporated before adding the next cube. Repeat this process with the remaining cubes of butter to form an emulsified sauce. Strain the sauce using a fine mesh strainer. Serve immediately or place in a double boiler over simmering water until ready to serve. If the sauce sits at room temperature or is over-heated it will separate. Enjoy!
2 tbsp canola oil
2 6oz Mahi Mahi filets
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
flour, for dusting
Add oil to a non-stick saute-pan. Heat pan and oil over medium-high heat until there are ripples in the oil but before the oil begins to heat.
While the oil is heating, season all sides of the fish liberally with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Very lightly dust the top and bottom of the filets with flour. This will help prevent the fish from sticking to the pan but should not coat the fish or change the texture of the outside.
Once the oil in the pan is hot, add the fish to the pan. Sear the fish over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes until golden and easy to flip. (The meat will release itself from the pan when it's ready to flip. If you are struggling to turn the fish, it's not ready yet!) Continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes until golden and just cooked through. Remove from pan and serve. Enjoy!
1 tbsp canola oil
kernels from 2 ears of white corn, cobs discarded
1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1 slice thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice from 1/2 lime
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Heat oil in a saute pan over medium high heat until hot but not smoking, about 3-4 minutes. Add corn kernels, chopped green beans and onion to the pan. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Saute, stirring frequently for about 7-10 minutes until the green beans are tender and the sugars from the corn are beginning to caramelize. Add crumbled bacon, cilantro and lime juice. Stir then taste and adjust seasoning as desired with more kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy!
If you make something like this again, invite me over!
Wow, that’s pretty fancy schmancy there Amanda…. I’m w/ Nicole… I’m comin’ over for this one next time 🙂
I agree with Nicole and Lori, next time you make something this tasty invitations please! Looks so delicious and I sadly suck at cooking still. In due time!
Can’t believe how great this looks and sounds. He is a very lucky man. My wife tends to burn most food she cooks for me.
So, could blackberries be substituted for the cherries? I don’t find cherries in the store much right now, and blackberries are on sale….
Is there another fruit you’d recommend if I couldn’t get cherries or they’re not in season?