Mahi Mahi and a Guest Poster

I have never had a guest poster before, never been asked to have somebody guest post on my little ol' blog...haha. That is until Julie emailed me. Julie is from Chicago Illinois where she enjoys spending time with her family. Check out the recipe she shares for Mahi Mahi (which I've never cooked with) and read a bit more about her. I love fish and am always looking for new recipes to try. I may have to give this one a shot. It seems like the perfect summer grilling recipe. Light, fresh and full of flavor.

Until recently, fish was never cooked in my kitchen.  No one in our house has an allergy or anything; I was just intimidated by the thought of cooking it, and therefore stuck to safer protein options.  I think as a kid I saw my mother lose one too many tilapia fillets to the grill grate, so I just grew up with the idea that fish was “too hard” for me to make.  Thanks to a wonderful neighbor and friend, I’ve been able to overcome that fear, and can now cook a mean fish fillet.  There is one small side effect to this discovery: my husband and kids have been eating seafood more than they ever thought they would this summer.

Contrary to former belief, fish is actually very easy to make, as long as you are attentive at the grill and spray it down with some kind of grill spray like PAM or sprayable olive oil to keep it from sticking to the grate.

The below recipe is one of the easiest and most flavorful I’ve come across since starting my love affair with cooking fish.  The fish seasoning can be varied depending on your family’s preferences.  I tend to add a little more cumin and a little less oregano to keep my two sons happy.  If mahi mahi is not readily available, I believe the seasoning and salsa will taste great on any mild fish.

Blackened Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa

Ingredients

·            1½ teaspoons ground cumin

·            1 teaspoon garlic powder

·            1 teaspoon dried oregano

·            ½ teaspoon ground ginger

·            ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

·            ½ teaspoon kosher salt

·             ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

·             ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper

·             2 tablespoons olive oil

·            4 mahi mahi fillets (4oz each)

·            1 can (14.5oz) Hunt's Stewed Tomatoes, drained, chopped

·            1 medium mango, peeled, chopped

·            1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, chopped

·            ½ cup chopped red onion

·            2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

·            1 teaspoon ground cumin

·            1 teaspoon minced garlic

·            1 lime, juiced

Directions

1.       Combine the 1½ teaspoons cumin, the garlic powder, dried oregano, ground ginger, smoked        paprika, salt and black and red peppers in small bowl. Stir in olive oil to make a saucy paste; divide  mixture in half and set aside one portion.

2.       Brush half of the paste on fish fillets; set aside. Lightly spray grill or grill pan with PAM. Heat to  high heat; when hot, add fish and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once.

3.       Meanwhile, combine drained tomatoes, mango, jalapeno, red onion, cilantro, the 1 teaspoon cumin,    the garlic and lime juice in medium bowl; set aside.

4.       Remove fish from grill once it flakes easily with a fork. Brush remaining paste on cooked fish. Serve   with Mango Salsa.

Note

If you’re a more advanced chef, you can try grilling with woodchips to add even more flavor to the fish.

Let us know if you make any variations to the recipe, and how they turned out for you, whether it be a slight change in spices, cook time, or salsa ingredients.

About the Author

Julie S. is a Midwestern mom from Chicago, IL.  This summer you can find her cheering on her two favorite fish, her two sons, as they compete on the neighborhood swim team.  Now that she’s conquered seafood, her next kitchen goals include a paleo ice cream, and gluten free cake.  She writes on behalf of Hunt’s.  Check out the Hunt’s website for great tomato recipes and summer grilling recipes for your next family dinner.

With Joy UNquenchable,