Curried Fish with Peach and Heirloom Tomato Salsa

Another Mahi-Mahi recipe. Hooray! You could use any firm fish like striped bass, fluke, you could try shrimp too. I bet that would be good. For the salsa, make sure the peaches and tomatoes are super ripe. Its actually a good way to use up overripe fruit, when you’re sick of pancakes or tomato sauce. The fish recipe is adapted from the New York Times’ Florence Fabricant. The salsa is all ours.

Curried Fish
2 mahi-mahi fillets (about a pound)
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp mustard seed 
1/2 cup onion, chopped fine
1/2 Tbs ginger, chopped fine 
1/2 jalepeno, chopped (or more if you like it hot)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp tumeric
1/2 Tbs tamarind paste, dissolved in 1/4 cup water
1/2 lime juice and its zest
1 tsp brown sugar 

(As you get used to a recipe you can tweak the amounts of spices. In the making of this meal, I had a heavy hand with all the ingredients. )

In a pan large enough to hold all the fish, heat the oil on high. When it start to shimmer, add the mustard seeds and heat until they start to pop. You can’t miss it – its like popcorn. Immediately add the onion and toss with the mustard seeds. (This cools off the oil so it doesn’t burn.) Cook the onion until it starts to brown. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the ginger, jalepeno, coriander and tumeric. Stir and let cook 3 minutes. Add the diluted tamarind to the pan and simmer 3 minutes more. 

Add another 1/2 cup of water and stir to combine. Add the fish fillets. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Take off the cover and spoon the juices over the fish. (You’re not going to flip the fish, so be generous in your basting.) Cover again, and cook until the fish is cooked through, about 5 minutes, but this depends on the thinkness. Check its doneness by stretching out your thumb (seriously) and poking the meaty part where the base of your thumb meets your palm. When the fish feels that firm, its done.

Move the fish to a warm plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Add the lime juice and zest to the pan of juices. Simmer to reduce the liquid to saucy consistency. Don’t worry too much here. You’ll know when it “looks right.” Trust yourself!

Peach and Heirloom Tomato Salsa
3 overripe peaches
3 medium-sized heirloom tomatoes (or enough to be an even amount with the chopped peaches)
1 jalepeno, minced
1 medium red onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
juice from the other half of the lime
really good sea salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Let sit 20 minutes. Taste for saltiness. Too salty? Add more lime. Not salty enough, add more salt!

Plating
Any starch will do here, depending on your mood. We used basmati rice. Any rice would work. Try quinoa, barley, couscous, noodles, or boiled little potatoes. Place the fish and top with the salsa. Pretty!

Grilled Mahi-Mahi Tacos

If you’ve been a reader for a while you might have caught on that I think mahi is the best fish in the ocean. There are a few close seconds, but it is meaty like a steak fish, delicate in flavor and so versatile, I haven’t found a fish recipe it which didn’t work.

Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos
1 pound mahi-mahi fillets
salt & pepper
4 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
minced hot pepper (which one you use, and how much, will determine the heat of your dish – I used poblano)
2 cups chopped garden fresh tomatoes
taco shells, soft and/or crunchy (your choice, I’m a crunchy gal.)
chopped fresh cilantro -lots
lime wedges

Heat grill to medium-high and oil the rack. Salt and pepper both sides of the fish. Go heavy on the pepper as it will be the only direct seasoning the fish gets. Put the fish on the grill and don’t move it until it is cooked halfway through. This will depend on its thickness. Resist the urge to touch, as you want some of the fish meat to caramelize on the grill. Flip and cook until just done. The meat should flake easily with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over a medium flame. Add the onion, stirring occasionally until the onion starts to turn transluscent. Add the garlic and the pepper. This mixture should cook until the onion just begins to brown. Stir occasionally and add salt and pepper to taste. (*Hint: As this cooks, it will steam. Depending on the heat of the pepper you are using, don’t take a nice deep breath – you’ll pepper spray yourself. Ask me how I know this.) When the onion has just started to brown, add the tomatoes and cook until the give up their water and the mixture is the consistency of salsa. Flake the fish into the pan and mix until well combined.

Scoop taco filling onto a serving platter and serve with taco shells, cilantro, and lime wedges. And margaritas.