Sauteed Mahi Mahi

So for those of you who are regular visitors to The One Behind The Apron, you will notice this post is a little different than normal. (Hint: a LOT less photos) My kitchen is currently under construction and it is enough of a challenge to cook the meals, never mind simultaneously photograph them. So for the next few weeks, some of my recipes might not have as many photos as your used to. However, I do have some posts saved up from the pre-construction days, so I will sprinkle those in as well. With that in mind, if you have any questions on the recipe below (or the ones to come), do not hesitate to shoot me an email.

In the Northeast, it is not everyday that you catch Mahi Mahi. For those of you that don't know, Mahi Mahi is a dolphin - but don't worry, not like Flipper! So, when my grandfather came home from a day fishing with one, I jumped at the chance to cook it up for all of us. This is a simple recipe that can be used with any fish, so if you can't find Mahi Mahi, you can try this out with other white fish such as sea bass or striped bass. Also, this is delicious on a sandwich with some lettuce and tomato and a little Old Bay Mayonnaise (Mayo + Old Bay Seasoning = Old Bay Mayo).

Recipe yields 6 servings

Ingredients
4 lbs. fresh Mahi Mahi (Our fish was a lot bigger, so we just put the extra in the freezer for another time)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper, to taste
4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp basil

Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper so there is an even coating. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the fish and cook 4-5 minutes, per side, depending on the width of the fish. You want the fish to be white all the way through, with no signs of pink in sight!

Once the fish is finished cooking, remove from the pan and place on a serving dish. Add the butter to the pan and use your spoon to scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom and mix with the butter. Add the basil and mix it in. Once the butter is fully melted, pour the mixture over the fish right onto the platter. Serve with fresh steamed vegetables for a healthy meal! Enjoy!

Grilled Mako Steaks

This past weekend, my dad fished a shark tournament. Although he did not win, he came home with a beautiful (and delicious) Mako shark. As you have heard me say before, there is nothing better than fresh seafood. Whenever possible, I try to catch and cook all my own fish. With fresh mako steaks in the refrigerator, I knew we were all in for a delicious treat.

Recipe yields 4 hearty servings

Ingredients
4 large Mako steaks
Juice from 1 lemon
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp basil

Once the butter is softened, add it to a bowl with the garlic powder and basil. Using a spoon or spatula, mix together the ingredients to incorporate the spices into the butter.

Spoon the butter onto a piece of wax paper and roll it into a log form. Place in the refrigerator to harden before use.

Place the mako steaks in a large bowl and cover with lemon juice. Sprinkle both sides of each steak with the salt. I cut each of my steaks in half to make them into more manageable pieces. Feel free to leave yours whole for a more grandiose presentation.

You can now cook the steaks either on the grill or in a saute pan. I used a pan and first heated up 1 tablespoon of the oil. Place the steaks in the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium-high heat without moving. Helpful Hint: If you can resist, do not touch/poke/move/peak at the steaks. Let them sit there in the pan. This will help them get nice and charred.

After a few minutes, flip the steaks over and cook until the steaks are cooked through. About another 3-4 minutes or so (depending on how thick they are).

Once finished, remove from the pan and into a serving dish. Cook the remaining steaks if you couldn't fit them all in one pan (like me!).

Just prior to serving, add a spat of the herb butter to the top of each steak. As the butter melts, all of those delicious flavors will drip right into the steaks. Serve alongside some fresh vegetables and enjoy!

Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin

Pork is such a great choice for a weeknight meal. It is easy and quick to cook and there are endless ways to prepare it. All you need is to cook up a nice pork tenderloin, add some vegetables to the side and you have a delicious and easy weeknight dinner. This honey butter glaze is sweet and keeps the pork juicy and flavorful.

Recipe yields 4-5 servings

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin
4 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp honey
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine your spices. Using your hands, rub the spice onto your meat and set aside to let it soak in.

In a large pot (I used my Dutch oven because it needs to be able to go from stove top to oven) melt your butter and honey.

Once melted, add your meat to the pot to brown on all sides. You are looking to get a nice browned, glaze on all sides of your meat.

Once browned, pop it in the oven for 20-25 minutes. The insides should no longer be pink when it is ready to eat.

Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting it. Slice it thin and arrange on a serving platter. Enjoy!

Sea Bass with Thyme-Oregano Butter

If you are looking for an impressive dish that is packed with flavor and can be ready in a short time, this dish is for you! I have developed a new love for compound butter because it is quick and easy and delivers so much flavor.

Recipe yields 4 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh sea bass fillets

Salt and pepper to taste

Canola oil

Thyme-Oregano compound butter

Butter:

4 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme

1 1/2 tbsp fresh oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

To make the butter, combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until butter hardens. Season sea bass fillets with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet on high heat. Add canola when pan is hot. Slowly and carefully add the fish fillets, seasoned side down.

Cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of your fillets. Remove from skillet and place on a serving dish.

Cut slices of the compound butter and place on top of the fish. Serve and enjoy!

Sauteed Thresher Shark

So most of you will probably look at this title and immediately think "Whattt?!" Well, this weekend, on one of our fishing trips, we caught a thresher shark. This was my dad and I's first thresher shark and we knew they were good to eat, so I figured, why not try it out. If you have access to fresh thresher shark at your local fish market, give it a try! It has a delicious flavor and is just as tender, if not more, as a fresh piece of swordfish. I served this shark with the Ginger-Lime Butter I told you about yesterday and the ginger flavor really highlighted the fish's natural flavor.

Recipe yields 6 servings

Ingredients
6 fresh thresher shark steaks
4 tbsp canola oil
Salt and pepper to season

Lay steaks on a flat surface. Lightly season steaks with salt and pepper on both sides.

Heat a skillet to high heat. Once heated, add 2 tbsp canola oil. (If your skillet is large enough to cook all 6 steaks at once, you can add all 4 tbsp of oil.)

Add steaks to the skillet and cook 3 minutes on one side, flip and cook 3 minutes on the other side or until fish is cooked through. (Note: Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of each steak.)

Remove from heat and serve right away. Top with a compound butter or serve with your choice of sauce. Enjoy!

Ginger-Lime Butter

The second recipe in today's triple dose is for ginger-lime butter. Making compound butters is a great way to add flavor to your meals by adding it to bread, potatoes, meat, fish, etc. The uses are endless and it is simple to make and store for long periods of time. Today's combination of ginger and lime goes great on top of seafood!

Recipe yields 4 tbsp of butter

Ingredients
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp ginger
Salt and pepper to taste

Allow butter to soften to room temperature so it is easy to work with. Smooth butter in a small bowl. Add lime juice and mix to combine.

Photo: Peeled ginger

Peel and mince ginger. Add to the butter and combine. Helpful hint: To peel ginger, use the edge of a spoon to scrape off the skin. Cut ginger into strips and then proceed to dice and mince.

Roll butter in wax pepper and refrigerate to harden. Slice and place atop a freshly cooked piece of fish for an easy but complex flavor combination. Enjoy!