Pineapple Glazed Mahi-Mahi

Not specifically tied to a particular cuisine, but reminded me of various Asian preparations using coconut and fruit — tasty nonetheless. Another plus: mahi-mahi is one fish recommended by Oceans Alive as an eco-best alternative.

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 8-ounce mahi-mahi fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons pineapple jam
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat butter and oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium high heat until the butter stops bubbling. Season the mahi-mahi with salt and pepper, and brown well on one side. Turn the fish over and top each fillet with 1 tablespoon of the pineapple jam. Place the pan in the oven and bake 10 minutes (I didn’t do this. Instead I covered the pan and put the heat to medium-low.)

While the fish cooks, prepare the sauce by combining the coconut milk, ginger, and curry powder in a saucepan over medium heat. When the fish is done, transfer the fillets to a plate and keep warm. Add the pan juices from the cooked fish to the sauce and bring to a boil. Slowly drizzle the cornstarch mixture into the boiling sauce, stirring the sauce throughout until it thickens. Serve the sauce over the mahi-mahi.

I tripled the recipe for our family of 6. And I didn’t have pinapple jam on hand; however, I had canned pineapple, so 30 minutes before cooking I pureed it, cooked it with some sugar and a bit of lemon juice in a small saucepan, until it became jam-like in consistency, and used that. The fillets were served on a bed of sauteed shredded red cabbage for a nice contrast in color and texture.

Adapted from