Pan-Seared Mahi-Mahi with Wild Mushroom Orzo
Mahi-Mahi is my all-time favorite white fish—I like it even more than Halibut, which is a really close second. Mahi is a flavorful, firm fish and it is great for sautéing or grilling because it remains really moist and holds its shape while cooking. If you pan-sear Mahi, the only recommendation that I have is that you add a small amount of butter after you add your fish to the pan to achieve a nice caramelization.
My special for today was, Pan-Seared Mahi-Mahi with Wild Mushroom Orzo, Sautéed Rapini and Lemon-Thyme Beurre Blanc.
For the orzo, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add lots of salt—it should taste like the ocean. Add your orzo and stir continuously for the first two minutes until the starch releases from the pasta or it will stick together for the remainder of the cooking. Cook the orzo until al dente, drain and immediately immerse into ice water to stop the cooking. Then drain the orzo really well and toss with olive oil and set aside. Next, sauté your wild mushrooms in oil over medium-high heat (you can use whatever mushrooms you like—just make sure that they are free of any grit.) Once the mushrooms start to brown, add finely chopped shallots, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and deglaze with some Madeira. Cook until the Madeira is reduced and the mushrooms are soft, and then add chicken stock and either goat cheese or marscarpone for a creamy texture (the cheese is optional however—you can leave it out it you like). Next, add your cooked orzo, season with salt and pepper and lemon juice to taste. Keep warm and set aside.
Rapini is an Italian name for Broccoli Raab—they are both the same and a member of the cabbage family. I like using Rapini because it has a pungent slight bitter flavor and it holds up well to sautéing. To cook Rapini, blanch in salted boiling water for a couple of minutes and then immerse in ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well, and then set aside until you’re ready to sauté. When ready to serve, sauté in a small amount of oil and butter and deglaze with white wine, salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, start your Beurre Blanc. This is another favorite sauce of mine and is so easy to make. Take some chopped shallots and garlic, bay leaf, black peppercorns, a couple cups of white wine and any flavors you’d like to impart in the sauce such as (thyme, tarragon, capers, basil, tomato paste, etc.— the list is endless) and add it to the sauce pan. Reduce the liquid to a tablespoon, remove from heat, and then whisk in a small amount of diced butter until emulsified. Whisk in the remaining butter until you reach the right consistency (the sauce should be smooth and glossy) and then add salt and pepper to taste and a small amount of lemon juice. Strain the sauce through a chinois or fine strainer and then add fresh herbs if you want to highlight the flavor of your sauce. Keep the sauce from any direct heat source, but keep warm. Because a beurre blanc sauce is so rich and flavorful, a little goes a long way and so you only need to add a small amount to finish your dish.
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