Seared Mahi Mahi With A Citrus Soy Glaze & Coconut Rice

I have been eating and fishing for yellow tail (mahi mahi) ever since I was twelve and I have found no better way to prepare it than straight into the frying pan.  You can bake or broil it, but there is something about searing it first to preserve the moisture and then topping it with a light and simple sauce or glaze..  If it is really fresh, don't fool around with it, fry it in butter and oil combination, garlic, maybe onions, lots of lemon or lime and salt and pepper.

For many years, I lived in Key Biscayne, Florida and all I had to do was go down to the docks (a 10 minute ride) and get some still kicking around in a bucket.  Now I live inland on a lake and guess what, there isn't a yellow tail in sight for at least 600 miles.  Luckily, there is a Trader Joe's about 20 miles away and their fish is pretty good. Comes flash frozen from Peru and that is as close to fresh as you can get. I have already posted a recipe for mahi mahi but this time I thought I would give it an Asian flair.


Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

For marinade:

1 lb. mahi mahi fillets
juice from 1 orange
juice from 1 lime
2 TB soy Sauce
2 TB olive oil
1 TB cilantro
Salt & Pepper

3 TB sesame oil
4 cloves garlic mashed
1/2 tsp minced ginger
Flour for dredging
1 bunch scallions, sliced green & white part



Directions

In a shallow glass dish, stir together the orange and lime juices, soy sauce,  and olive oil. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper and cilantro, and place them into the dish. If the fillets have skin on them, place them skin side down. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to marinate.

Heat sesame oil oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from the dish, and reserve marinade. Pat dry and dredge in flour.  Shake off excess flour. Add garlic and ginger to pan, saute for about 30 secs. add fish and fry  for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, turning only once, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fillets to a serving platter and keep warm.

Add a little more sesame oil to pan. Add chopped scallions and cook for about 2 mins.  Remove and add to platter with fish. Pour reserved marinade into the skillet, and heat over medium heat until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistency. Spoon glaze over fish, and serve immediately.

Coconut Rice

Don't gild the lily this time.  The mahi has a lot of ingredients so you want to keep this coconut rice fairly simple.  This is just background music with a little diversion for the star of the meal.

1 cup jasmine rice
1 TB butter
1 Cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
rind of lime
salt

Bring coconut milk, salt,  butter, lemon rind and water to a boil.  Add rice, lower the temperature to low and cook covered until done.  Do not stir!.  Once it has absorbed all the water and is done, stir with a fork and replace the lid with a folded paper towel placed between the closed lid and the rice.  Just before serving, remove paper towel and stir.