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Ecuadorian Blackened Mahi Mahi

Mahi Mahi is one of my favorite varieties of fish. I grew up in Guayaquil, Ecuador, just 1 hour away from Salinas and other beach towns, so Mahi Mahi was a very popular fish caught daily and sold fresh at the fish market, called "La Plaza de Salinas". I remember going with my mom and grandfather to La Plaza and I was so fascinated with the wide variety of fresh seafood. Here is where I got passionate and interested in trying more fish and seafood.


A popular way to cooked this fish in Ecuador is to lightly seasoned with salt, pepper, dusted with flour and pan fried to perfection ( a little crunchy but still moist inside), served with pickled onions and white rice. Inspired by my childhood memories, and my husband favorite dishes, I decided to make this fish but adding more seasonings and bringing more flavors to this delicious fish. With a blend of my favorite pantry spices I came up with this simply delicious blackened Mahi Mahi dish. I decided to served with my husband's favorite garlic mashed potatoes and pan fried asparagus.


To make this blackened Mahi Mahi, you will need Cajun seasonings. You may find the ingredients for this blend at any grocery store and you may have them already in your pantry. The Cajun seasoning is a simple blend of the following: garlic powder, smoked paprika, dry thyme, dry oregano, pink salt, and @traderjoes onion seasoning. I also aded a pinch of pepper and cayenne pepper.



You will need to pad dry the fillets with a paper towel, then you will want to lightly coat the fillets with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and cover each piece with cajun blend of spices. Then, in a hot cast iron pan, melt the butter with a drizzle of olive oil and pan fried each fillet till golden crispy look. Then bring it out of the heat and let it rest for 3 minutes. You will want to serve it with warm creamy garlic mashed potatoes and pan fried asparagus. And don't forget a drizzle of lemon over the fish at the end.


I think this is a simple, delicious, comforting dish and very EASY to make, even for weeknight dinners. I bet it will become your favorite too. You will not want to have it any other way.



I hope you enjoy this recipe, so please don't forget to leave a comment below.


DISH...PLAY.... IT...& ENJOY!


Cheers,


Myriam

@dishplay_it


Recipe details

  • Yield 4 servings

  • Prep time: 15 Minutes |Cook time: 15 Minutes |Total time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients BLACKENED MAHI MAHI

  • 1 lb of Mahi Mahi fillets

  • 2 TBSP of Cajun mix seasonings

  • 2 TBSP of butter or ghee

  • 1 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil

CAJUN BLEND - SEASONING

  • 1 tsp of garlic powder

  • 1 tsp of onion salt (Trader Joe's is my fave)

  • 1 tsp of smoked paprika

  • 1 tsp of dry thyme

  • 1 tsp of dry oregano

  • 1 tsp of pink himalyan sea salt

  • 1/2 tsp of black pepper

  • 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper

Instructions I recommend to pad dry each piece of fish with a paper towel to absorb all the moisture. Then, a light coat of extra virgin olive oil, then season each piece with the Cajun mix.In a hot cast iron pan, melt 2 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of Olive oil. Then pan fry the fish for about 3 - 4 minutes on each side. Until you see a golden crispy crust. Then remove from heat and let it stand for about 3 minutes.HOW to DISHPLAY_IT? I kept this plating simple, yet beautiful, with a spoonful of creamy garlic mashed potatoes and pan fried asparagus. Squeeze some lemon and top it off with fresh chopped parsley. Wine pairing suggestion: Cab Franc Rose from @brickbarnwineestate Tips

  • I would suggest to serve this dish with garlic mashed potatoes and pan seared asparagus with garlic.

  • Also, you may serve with cilantro lime rice, and side green salad with avocados.

  • Another favorite way is to make tacos with this delicious flavorful blackened Mahi Mahi, topped of with pickled red onions and shredded cabbage.




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