Summer Dinner
West Coast anglers and restaurants call it mahi; to others it’s dolphin or dorado, but by any name, this reliable species is the near-perfect fish. Beautiful, bountiful and acrobatic, it’s as good on the table as it is on the line. This preparation, wrapped and sautéed in bacon, allows for quick and easy prep and a perfect outcome as the bacon and basting keep the fish moist and flavorful. For best results, have your butcher cut slab bacon as thin as possible, then shingle it, overlapping the edges, or substitute prosciutto in the recipe.
To complement this preparation, Pickled Onions for contrast, and Spring Onion and English Pea Broth.
Step-by-Step Prep:
Prepare ahead
Pickled Onions
- 1⁄2 cup water
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1⁄2 cup sugar
- 2 cups onions, thinly sliced
Bring water, sugar and vinegar to a simmer. Pour over onions and cool. Keeps for a month.
Step 1:
Spring Onion English Pea Broth
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 spring onions, sliced (about 2 cups)
- 2 cups English peas
- 1 cup chicken or fish broth
- Salt to taste
Melt butter in a pan and add the spring onions. Cook on low for 20 minutes. Add broth. Bring to a simmer. Add peas and cook until done.
Step 2:
Bacon-Wrapped Mahi
- 4, 6-ounce mahi fillets
- 12 bacon strips, thinly sliced
- Mustard frill to garnish
Lay out three bacon strips for each fillet on a cookie sheet, overlapping the edges to create a single sheet of bacon the width of the mahi fillets. Chill so the edges adhere. When the bacon has firmed, lay a fillet on the end and roll it up so the end of the bacon is on the flat side of the fillet.
Wrap it Up
Lay each fillet tag-end down in canola oil in a hot pan, reduce the heat to medium and cook, rendering the bacon fat and sealing the wrap. Baste occasionally with the hot oil from the pan. Once the wrap is sealed, turn the fillet on its other side, then on each edge. Test for doneness with a cake tester, inserting it through the fish until it meets no resistance, then pressing it to your lip to confirm that it feels warm.
On the fire
Step 3:
Spoon the Spring Onion English Pea Broth onto a plate and set the mahi on top, then garnish with a teaspoon of Pickled Onions and the mustard frill.
Pair Well
Wine: a light, dry rosé wine Megan Williams
To view additional recipes look HERE.
